Ukraine and Russia are close to reviving direct peace talks for the first time since the last face-to-face discussions ended three years ago.

Turkey’s recent policies in Syria are emblematic of the way a middle power can exert influence in its region, sometimes outmaneuvering seemingly stronger players. Throughout Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011,

President Donald Trump has repeatedly floated the possibility of scrapping his Middle East travel schedule and adding a stop to personally mediate Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey.

The talks in Istanbul complicated a European push for the U.S. to pressure Russia an into a ceasefire in Ukraine, even as questions persist on who is attending.