Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russia and Ukraine are not yet ready for a leadership meeting, despite efforts to promote dialogue. This was reported by the Turkish state television “TRT Haber“, referring to Erdogan's words spoken to journalists on the plane returning from China, BTA reports.
During his visit, Erdogan participated in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and held a number of bilateral talks, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Turkish leader explained that he and Putin discussed the possibilities of ending the war with a “just peace”, as well as issues of energy cooperation.
“Turkey has been saying from the very beginning that the war can only be ended through negotiations. The meetings in Istanbul are proof of this. Our desire is to raise the level of dialogue, because the hope for peace must turn into a search for a solution and lasting results,“ Erdogan said.
He added that he had discussed with Zelensky the possibility of resuming the Istanbul Process, but both sides were not yet ready for such a step.
Erdogan described the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Alaska, as well as the talks at the White House between Zelensky, European leaders and the US president, as “valuable” geopolitical strategy. He stressed that Turkey is in constant contact with all countries and reminded that Ankara has already played a key role through the grain deal and the prisoner exchange.
“At every meeting with Putin, I raise the topic of the grain deal and the prisoner exchange and I will continue to insist that this be part of the agenda. "Turkey is an example of a mediator who has earned the trust of both Moscow and Kiev," the Turkish president stressed.