Erdoğan suggests that Ukraine and Russia should "negotiate" in Istanbul again

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Ankara continues to support a peaceful settlement of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is ready to offer a platform for relevant "negotiations".

Source: Erdoğan in a video address to the participants of the Ukraine-Southeast Europe Summit on 28 February, quoted by Anadolu Agency 

Details: Erdoğan emphasised Türkiye’s support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, as well as its desire to protect "the rights and interests of our Crimean Tatar compatriots."

"Despite the fact that we have entered the third year of the [full-scale] war and despite all our efforts, there has been insufficient progress towards peace. I remain committed to giving diplomacy and dialogue a chance to end the war with a just and lasting peace," he added.

In this regard, Erdoğan called for joint work to "determine the general parameters of peace" and stated that in this regard, Ankara "in principle supports" the Peace Formula proposed by Ukraine.

Erdoğan went on to reiterate how Türkiye helped implement the Black Sea Grain Initiative, from which Russia withdrew in the summer of 2023.

"On the other hand, we are ready to offer again the negotiating table that we previously organised in Istanbul to build peace," he added.

Background:

• Moscow and Ankara had previously announced a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Türkiye, which will take place after the presidential "elections" in Russia in mid-March.
• As Putin's visit was being prepared, the European Commission reminded Ankara that the International Criminal Court had issued an arrest warrant for the Russian dictator for his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories.

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