Powerful earthquake shakes Türkiye as Zelensky and Erdogan hold talks

No casualties or significant damage have been reported.

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck central Türkiye on Thursday, shaking the capital Ankara as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky.

The quake hit at 3:46pm local time in the Kulu district of Konya province, according to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Authority (AFAD). The tremor was also reportedly felt in the surrounding provinces.

Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas confirmed that the quake was felt in the capital, saying authorities were “closely monitoring developments.”

Zelensky, who had announced his intention to visit Türkiye following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal that Moscow and Kiev participate in direct talks, reportedly flew to Albania, having despatched a team of negotiators to Istanbul.

Last week, Putin proposed resuming direct dialogue to find a lasting settlement to the Ukraine conflict. The talks, which are expected to take place imminently in Istanbul, would mark the first such meeting between Russia and Ukraine since 2022, when the peace process was aborted by Kiev.

Zelensky, who had previously said he would only talk directly with Putin, said later in the day on Thursday that he would send a delegation led by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.