Turkey ready to host Ukraine-Russia peace summit: Erdogan

Turkey 9 March, 2024 12:36

Turkey is ready to host a peace summit between Russia and Ukraine, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul, France 24 reports.

NATO member Turkey has been positioning itself as a potential mediator between Moscow and Kyiv since Russia launched its invasion more than two years ago.

Erdogan's proposal comes as Ukraine faces mounting pressure on the front line, where it has lost ground to Moscow in recent months amid hold-ups to aid from its Western allies.

"We are ready to host a peace summit where Russia is also present," Erdogan told a press conference alongside the Ukrainian leader.

"While we continue our solidarity with Ukraine, we will continue our work to end the war with a just peace on the basis of negotiations," Erdogan said.

Zelensky dismissed the idea of negotiating directly with Russia, arguing that Ukraine and Western leaders must set out peace on their own terms.

He noted there would be an upcoming peace summit in Switzerland, where Kyiv would promote its own "peace formula", but ruled out Russia's participation.

"We don't see how we can invite people who block, destroy and kill everything. We want to get results," Zelensky said.

He called the talks with Erdogan "productive" and thanked Turkey for its mediation efforts on Ukraine's Black Sea grain exports and prisoner exchanges.

Ankara has sought to maintain good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, helping the two sign a now shuttered agreement to ensure the safe passage of grain via the Black Sea in July 2022.