ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Turkey supports a peace process involving all parties for Ukraine during their Wednesday phone conversation.
The Turkish presidency stated that Erdogan emphasised Ankara’s sincere efforts towards achieving a just peace since the conflict’s beginning.
“Turkey has sincerely strived for a just peace since the beginning of the war, and in this context, supports approaches aimed at establishing lasting peace with the participation of all parties,“ his office said in a statement.
Turkey maintains friendly relations with both Black Sea neighbours and has hosted three rounds of Ukraine-Russia peace talks since May.
Ankara consistently advocates for protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity while avoiding Western sanctions against Russia.
US President Donald Trump recently held discussions with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials in Washington.
This followed Trump’s significant meeting with Putin in Alaska just three days earlier.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte contacted Erdogan on Tuesday while returning to Europe after the Washington discussions.
The Turkish presidency confirmed they discussed Turkey’s role as a key NATO member in the peace process.
They also exchanged views on feasible and sustainable security guarantees, according to the statement.
Both leaders agreed to maintain close coordination moving forward. – AFP