Renegotiation in Istanbul
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirmed his country's readiness to reinstate Istanbul as the center for Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, noting that Ankara is deploying diplomatic tools to achieve peace. This came in a statement to journalists aboard the plane, as he returned on Sunday evening from a one-day visit to Azerbaijan.
Support for Trump's efforts and contact with both sides
Erdogan added that Turkey is making intensive efforts to fully end the Russian-Ukrainian war, expressing appreciation for and supporting the efforts of US President Donald Trump in this regard. He pointed out that Ankara is in contact with US President Donald Trump, European leaders, and all parties concerned with the Ukrainian crisis.
Turkey's role in peace
He noted that the negotiation platform hosted by Istanbul, the Grain Corridor initiative, and Turkey's role in prisoner exchange operations are exceptional examples of Turkey's pivotal role in peace efforts. In this context, Erdogan confirmed that he has discussed ending the war several times with Russian President Vladimir Putin and will continue to discuss it with him, as he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week.
Ankara's stance on criticisms
Erdogan clarified that Turkey has adopted a pro-solution and pro-peace stance since the beginning of the war, despite the criticisms it faced, noting that his country bore accusations of violating sanctions and not aligning with Western positions due to its continued relations and communications with both sides of the war. He continued: "We have affirmed that we stand on the side of just peace in this issue, and today the validity of our fair position has become clearer. We also say today that this bleeding must stop."
Grain Corridor agreement
It is worth noting that the United Nations, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Grain Corridor agreement on July 22, 2022, with the aim of mitigating the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on global food prices.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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