U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he may participate in proposed peace talks between Ukraine and Russia has triggered a surge in international diplomatic activity, as world leaders seek a potential end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called for direct negotiations with Ukraine. Following the proposal, Trump publicly urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept the offer—a message that drew a conditional agreement from Kyiv, with Zelensky insisting Putin must attend the talks in person.

In a surprising turn on Monday, Trump, currently visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, said he is considering traveling to Istanbul to join the negotiations. Turkey has long been viewed as a strategic mediator due to its geographic and political ties to both Europe and Asia.

“I’ve got so many meetings, but I’m thinking about flying over there,” Trump said. “There’s a possibility, if I think things can happen. But we’ve got to get it done. Don’t underestimate Thursday in Turkey.”

Trump’s comments set off a flurry of diplomatic engagement. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held calls with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, and the EU’s top diplomat to coordinate a path forward. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joined those discussions, while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

The Kremlin also thanked China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar for their continued support of mediation efforts.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties and pushed NATO and Moscow to the brink of direct confrontation.

Reuters previously reported that President Putin is open to exploring a ceasefire framework with Trump’s involvement, though Moscow has ruled out significant territorial concessions and insists Ukraine must abandon its aspirations to join NATO.