Erdogan invites Putin, Zelenskyy to peace talks in Turkey

By Azernews

By News Center

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has invited his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts – Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy – to Turkey for peace talks, Yeni Shafak has reported.

Erdogan made the remarks while speaking to the AK Party's Central Executive Board (MYK).

Erdogan stated that he had invited both leaders to Turkey for the tripartite leaders' summit.

"We want to meet with Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelenskyy in Ankara or Istanbul. We are not a political party; we support peace," he said.

The most important agenda item on President Erdogan's AK Party Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting was the Ukraine-Russia conflict and a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking about the backstage of the tripartite summit to be held in Turkey’s Antalya region, Erdogan noted that Ukraine first agreed to attend the summit but then canceled it.

“Later we intervened and both sides agreed to sit at the table in Antalya. We do not know what decision will come out of the table, but the point reached is very important,” Erdogan underlined.

Describing his phone conversation with Putin, which lasted for about an hour, Erdogan said:  "We had a long, good conversation with Mr. Putin. I explained our theses and thoughts, as well as the correct and incorrect points. I stated that we do not support the occupation, but we are also opposed to sanctions. I stated that we support peace and that a cease-fire should be established."

Turkey's diplomatic efforts yielded results. Russia and Ukraine agreed to meet in Antalya. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba are visiting Turkey on March 10 to negotiate a ceasefire and peace. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will also participate in the historic meeting as a "mediator."

On March 7, at the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s Coordination Center, where the evacuations from Ukraine were carried out, Cavusoglu stated that after the efforts, the parties agreed to meet within the scope of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

“Our President brought this issue to the agenda in a phone call with Putin... Subsequently, Lavrov said that he was ready to join this meeting. Likewise, Dmytro Kuleba informed us that he would attend the meeting. Both ministers especially wanted me to take part in this meeting in Antalya and to do it as a trio. Therefore, we will hold this meeting in a tripartite format. We hope that this meeting will be a turning point in particular. And we want this meeting to be an important step towards peace and stability,” Cavusoglu said.

Antalya will also host the International Mediation Conference on the same day. The meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers within the scope of the Antalya Diplomacy Form (ADF) under the mediation of Turkey stands out as an effort that prioritizes diplomacy in easing conflicts. Lavrov and Kuleba are expected to attend the ADF to be held on March 11-13 after the meeting.