Erdoğan renews call for diplomatic solutions to end Ukraine war

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has affirmed Türkiye's commitment to pursuing diplomatic avenues to resolve the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, calling for dialogue between the two parties.

"Despite all our efforts, there has not been enough progress towards establishing peace. I maintain my view that diplomacy and dialogue should be given a chance to end the war with a just and lasting peace," Erdoğan said in a video message delivered to a summit of southeastern European countries on Feb. 28.

The summit in the Albanian capital Tirana comes as Kiev is trying to improve its defensive capabilities to beat back Russian forces at a time of faltering U.S. support more than two years into Russia's full-scale invasion.

"To achieve this goal, it is of utmost importance to utilize all diplomatic channels at the highest level," Erdoğan said. "At the very least, I think it is necessary to start a joint work on defining the general parameters of peace."

The president expressed support for Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky's "10-point peace plan," focusing on key areas including nuclear safety, food and energy security, prisoner release, territorial integrity, troop withdrawal, ecocide prevention and conflict de-escalation.

The plan, initially presented at a G20 summit in late 2022, emphasizes restoring Ukraine's sovereignty and outlines measures for resolution, including the establishment of a special tribunal for war crimes and environmental protection efforts.

Recalling a key grain deal brokered by Türkiye and the U.N., Erdoğan highlighted the importance of food security in Zelensky's plan. The deal, stalled since July 2022 due to Russian obstruction, aimed to allow Ukraine to export grain and foodstuffs through three Black Sea ports.

Erdoğan emphasized the necessity of bringing both sides to the negotiation table, stating, "We are ready to reestablish the negotiation table that we set up in Istanbul for the construction of peace."

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have remained dormant since early in the conflict, with Türkiye having hosted the last round of negotiations in March 2022.

Türkiye is also actively engaging with the U.N. to build a new arrangement ensuring the safety of navigation for commercial vessels in the Black Sea, Erdoğan added.

In a related development, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is set to attend the third edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in southern Türkiye on March 1-3, where he will meet with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.

Discussions between Lavrov and Fidan will encompass various bilateral and international issues, including the situation in Ukraine, as stated by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.