Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump told him he would attend potential peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia in Turkey, if Russian President Vladimir Putin also agreed to take part.

On his return flight from the NATO summit, where he met Trump for the first time since he returned to office, Erdogan said he told the U.S. president Ankara aims to bring the Russian and Ukrainian leaders together in Turkey for peace talks.

"He [Trump] said, 'if Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Istanbul or Ankara for a solution, then I will also come," Erdogan's office on Thursday quoted him as telling reporters.

"We will hold the necessary contacts and God willing realize this meeting as soon as possible."