Turkey is ready to take all necessary steps, including mediation, to facilitate a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced.
Erdogan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a closed-door meeting at the Turkish House during the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
During their discussions, the two leaders covered bilateral relations, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, peace initiatives, and broader regional and global issues.
Erdogan emphasized that from the outset, Turkey has believed the war between Russia and Ukraine can be resolved through dialogue, while safeguarding Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. He reassured Zelenskyy that Ankara remains committed to pursuing this goal, according to a statement from Turkey’s Communications Directorate.
Erdogan also reaffirmed Turkey’s determination to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative and work towards a ceasefire that could pave the way for peace between Kyiv and Moscow.
Turkey has been consistently engaged in efforts to bring an end to the war that erupted in February 2022, advocating for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. Ankara remains ready to support any peace initiative, including acting as a mediator.
In March 2022, Turkey hosted a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in Antalya, which led to the historic Black Sea grain deal later that year. However, Moscow declined to extend the agreement after July 2023, citing restrictions on Russian grain exports.
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