President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin late Thursday, in which he repeated the offer to bring him and Ukrainian President Volodymyr together for talks in Ankara or Istanbul.
In the call that came amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, Erdoğan also underlined that Turkey has been sincere in its efforts to find a solution to the ongoing conflict, as both presidents discussed the latest developments in the region and the humanitarian situation on the ground.
Erdoğan also told Putin that a permanent cease-fire will lead to a long-term solution, and that he wishes the talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials will bear fruit.
The Turkish leader also told Putin that humanitarian situation on the ground should be assessed and humanitarian corridors should be managed effectively.
On Wednesday, Erdoğan also held a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy.
Erdoğan pointed out that “war does not benefit anyone,” and Turkey will continue efforts to establish a dialogue between both sides while stressing the importance of humanitarian corridors.
The president also told Zelenskyy that Turkey continues to exert diplomatic effort to restore peace between Russia and Ukraine and aims to achieve a permanent cease-fire as soon as possible.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.
At least 726 civilians have been killed and 1,174 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the brutal invasion.
More than 3 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries, according to the United Nations. -Agencies
