ANKARA, May 30. /TASS/. The Istanbul agreements between Russia and Ukraine were sabotaged by circles lobbying for the continuation of the war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said while addressing servicemen at the Efes-2024 military drills.

"Next to us, the war between our Black Sea neighbors, Russia and Ukraine, is in its third year. Unfortunately, the Istanbul process, which we worked for and which aimed to reach fair peace agreements, was sabotaged and blocked by war lobbyists who obstructed it," Erdogan said.

He also pointed out that "no one knows when and how the war will end," which "constantly increases the financial costs for the region and the world."