Erdogan champions peace as crucial talks with Putin unfold
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin during which he assured Ankara of its commitment to efforts for peace. The press office of the president of Turkey conveyed information about the conversation.
According to the statement, the conversation touched upon bilateral issues and matters of regional and global significance. Erdogan emphasised that Ankara "strives to ease tensions in the region and will continue to contribute to peace processes."
The Turkish president also expressed a desire to deepen cooperation with Russia, including in the area of trade exchange. Ankara seeks to maintain good relations with Moscow and Kyiv, aiming to play a significant role in future peace negotiations.
Erdogan and Putin last met in October in Kazan, Russia, during the BRICS summit. Turkey consistently strives to maintain balance in its relations with Russia and Ukraine, aiming for the stabilisation of the situation in the region.
Ceasefire: Putin's non-negotiable proposal
Vladimir Putin outlined the conditions for peace with Ukraine back in June. The Russian army could ceasefire provided that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the territories annexed by Russia, and Kyiv promises not to join NATO. Additionally, it would require "noting in international documents" the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, as well as the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as part of the Russian Federation. In return, Russia offers to assist Ukrainians in withdrawing from the annexed territories.
As one can easily surmise, the Ukrainian authorities gave a resounding "no" to such conditions.
Interestingly, recently in Russia, a survey was conducted in which the majority of respondents supported the immediate commencement of negotiations with Ukraine and a ceasefire without the conditions Putin dictated back in June.
