Turkey offers to host Ukraine-Russia crisis summit to defuse tensions

Europe, Middle East, News February 4, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan offered to host the Ukraine-Russia crisis summit to defuse tensions between Russia and Ukraine during his visit to Kyiv, Ukraine on February 3.

Turkish President Erdogan held a meeting with his Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. After the meeting, Erdogan attended a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart during which he said, “Turkiye is ready to do its part to resolve the crisis between two friendly countries that it neighbors in the Black Sea.”

The Turkish president stressed that Turkey “can happily host a summit at the leaders level or technical level.”

“Our visit took place in a sensitive period. We continue to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea,” Erdogan added. Previously, the Turkish president also stated that “Turkey doesn’t recognize the illegitimate annexation of Crimea” by Russia.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy hailed the mediator role Turkish President Erdogan was playing in attempting to end the crisis between Ukraine and Russia. “I would like to thank President Erdogan for his initiative to become a mediator between Ukraine and Russia on the way to ending the war,” Zelenskyy said.

“In Ukraine, we are ready to do our best on all platforms and in all formats. To achieve peace we are ready to use any platform and any format as long as we put a stop to the war. It is important that all are ready to do it,” he added.

Turkey and Ukraine also signed a total of eight cooperation agreements, including a new free trade agreement, and a memorandum of understanding.

Earlier on February 2, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said “We have intensified negotiations with our Turkish partners to ensure that the [free trade] agreement meets the interests of Ukrainian business, creates opportunities for our exports and the potential for modernization of Ukrainian enterprises.”

*^{Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attend a joint news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Image Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)}*

As Russia refuses to withdraw its more than 100,000 troops from Ukraine’s borders, several European and NATO officials have held talks with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to deescalate tensions. The recent attempt by the Turkish president to defuse tensions comes after U.S. President Biden announced his decision to send 3,000 additional U.S. soldiers to Poland, Romania, and Germany.

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron held his third phone talk in a week with Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to discuss the ongoing situation.