Erdogan declares support for Ukraine's Peace Formula and reiterates his offer of "peace talks"
Kyiv • UNN
Turkey is ready to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Turkey is ready to resume peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, UNN reports citing Anadolu.
Details
In a video message sent to the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he stood by his view that diplomacy and dialogue should be given a chance to find a "just and lasting solution" to the war in Ukraine that began in February 2022.
"In order to achieve this goal, the use of diplomatic channels at the highest level and in all possible ways is of great importance," Erdogan said.
"Turkey's support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, security and territorial integrity is well known to all. We are also making every effort to protect the rights and interests of our fellow Crimean Tatars," he added.
Erdogan said that not enough progress has been made in establishing peace, and that uniting both sides is crucial for the success of peace initiatives.
"I think we need to start joint efforts at least to define the general parameters of peace," he said.
Erdogan noted that Turkey "in principle" supports Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's 10-step Peace Formula and is ready to contribute to the "rapid recovery and reconstruction" of the war-torn country.
Erdogan reiterated that Turkey has taken a leading role in efforts related to food security.
"The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was created and played a crucial role thanks to our efforts, also retains its place on our agenda," he added.
Erdogan also emphasized the need to introduce maritime security rules in the Black Sea, and that Ankara is negotiating a new UN-backed resolution on security commitments.
