Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed Thursday Ankara's desire to host a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky.
"It saddens us that an atmosphere of war has formed between Russia and Ukraine. We expect to hold a meeting between Putin and Zelensky. At the beginning of next month, I will pay a visit to Ukraine," the Turkish president said at a press conference in Ankara.
Erdogan added that he "attaches great importance to both Putin's visit to Turkey and [his] visit to Ukraine." He did not specify when the Russian leader's visit to the republic might take place.
On Wednesday, Turkish leader's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had invited Putin and Zelensky to Turkey to "settle differences" between the two countries. He also said that Erdogan "will travel to Ukraine in the next few weeks for talks with Zelensky."
The Turkish president has repeatedly stated his desire to participate in resolving the crisis between Russia and Ukraine last year. During telephone talks in December 2021, Putin pointed out to Erdogan that Ukraine was continuing a destructive line aimed at derailing the Minsk agreements.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS