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Erdogan promises to continue efforts to organize talks between Putin, Zelensky

Ankara has repeatedly voiced the idea of becoming a mediator in the talks between Russia and Ukraine
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
© Presidential Press Office/Handout via REUTERS

ANKARA, March 16. /TASS/. Turkey will continue its efforts to organize talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky, the country’s head of state Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during an extraordinary Organization of Turkic States summit in Ankara.

"The grain deal and prisoner swap, which have become possible with our mediation, showed that the sides in the Ukrainian conflict are capable of finding common ground. We are in favor of a just peace in Ukraine, and I continue to be in constant contact with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and [Ukrainian leader Vladimir] Zelensky. I will continue to make efforts to organize talks between them," the Turkish president pointed out.

Ankara has repeatedly voiced the idea of becoming a mediator in the talks between Russia and Ukraine. Consultations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations were also held in Turkey.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters at a briefing on January 11 that Russia had always been ready to solve problems through negotiations. At the same time, he noted that Ukrainian laws prohibited the president of that country from engaging in dialogue with the Kremlin, and Western states "are not inclined to allow Kiev any flexibility in this matter." In this connection, "we cannot say whether there are any prospects [of negotiations with Ukraine]," Peskov clarified.