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Turkish, Ukrainian defense chiefs discuss ‘immediate ceasefire’ — statement

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated: "The importance of an immediate ceasefire in order to prevent further loss of life and to re-establish peace and stability in the region"

ANKARA, January 11. /TASS/. Defense Ministers of Turkey and Ukraine, Hulusi Akar and Alexey Reznikov respectively, discussed during their telephone conversation the importance of an immediate ceasefire to restore the peace and stability in the region, the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the statement, Defense Minister Akar stated: "The importance of an immediate ceasefire in order to prevent further loss of life and to re-establish peace and stability in the region."

"First of all…, our country will continue to do its part in ensuring peace in the region and humanitarian aid at all levels, as it has done so far," the document reads.

The Turkish Defense Ministry also added: "It was stated that with the works of the Joint Coordination Center established within the scope of the Black Sea Grain Initiative document, approximately 17 million tons of grain have been safely shipped from Ukrainian ports to countries in need, and it is of great importance that the initiative provided continues without any interruptions."

The agreement on the export of food from Ukraine was concluded on July 22, 2022 for a period of 120 days. One of the agreement’s provisions regulated grain exports from the Kiev-controlled ports of Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny and it was initially valid until November 19, 2022. However, the deal was extended for another 120 days on November 17.

Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN set up the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul to inspect vessels with grain to thwart arms smuggling and prevent provocations. This section of the agreement was signed by Russia, Turkey, and the UN and separately by Ukraine, Turkey and the UN.

In addition, a memorandum is valid between Russia and the United Nations under which the international organization is committed to removing various hurdles impacting Russian agricultural and fertilizer exports to global markets.

Russia’s special military operation

On February 21, 2022, President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics DPR and LPR respectively). Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Moscow recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk Regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin announced on February 24, 2022 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics for assistance, he had decided to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.

From September 23 to September 27, 2022, the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic as well as the Kherson Region and the Zaporozhye Region held a referendum where the majority of voters opted to join Russia.

On September 30, 2022, Russian President Putin and the heads of the DPR, the LPR, and the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions signed treaties on their accession to Russia. Later, the State Duma and the Federation Council (the lower and upper houses of Russia’s parliament) approved legislation on ratifying these treaties, as well as federal constitutional laws on the accession of the four regions to Russia.