Erdogan: Istanbul can become a place for negotiations between Zelensky and Putin

Following a telephone conversation between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a proposal was again made for bilateral talks between the leaders of the warring countries.

This was reported by the Turkish Anadolu agency.

What is known

Erdogan, in a conversation with Putin, said that maintaining a positive attitude towards peace between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which emerged during the talks in Istanbul, is in the interests of all parties, according to the Turkish Presidential Administration’s Communications Department.

“Erdogan again voiced the idea of ​​holding a meeting between the presidents of the Russian Federation and Ukraine as an important stage in the Istanbul negotiation process. The Turkish leader emphasized the importance of a ceasefire, the effectiveness of humanitarian corridors and safe evacuation from war zones,” the agency notes.

The Turkish leader also called for an early cessation of hostilities, which threaten to damage the interests of all parties.

Reaction

• There has been no reaction from the Kremlin to the proposal to meet with the leader of Ukraine.
• As you know, earlier President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky offered negotiations on the territory of Mariupol blocked by the Russian army.
• At a press conference in the Kiev metro, the President of Ukraine told what questions he would first of all raise during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• Today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called such a proposal a “theatrical gesture”, essentially rejecting such a possibility. Moscow also does not consider a candidate for an intermediary between Kyiv and Moscow.