Ankara Calls for the Resumption of Talks Between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul
Turkey has once again called for the resumption of the diplomatic process between Kyiv and Moscow. Ömer Çelik, a spokesperson for the ruling Justice and Development Party, called for an immediate end to the Russian-Ukrainian war and the resumption of negotiations in Istanbul.
According to him, the war has turned into a protracted conflict that poses ever-greater risks to the Black Sea region.
Çelik noted that neither side has achieved a breakthrough capable of radically changing the course of the war, while both Russia and Ukraine continue to inflict significant losses on each other through tactical successes.
“War is an evil in every respect,” Çelik said, pointing first and foremost to the loss of human life and warning of the possibility of the conflict spreading to the wider region.
He also mentioned discussions about the war within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union, as well as concerns about the possible use of increasingly sophisticated weapons.
Çelik particularly condemned the attacks on civilian vessels flying the Turkish flag in the Black Sea, noting that since the start of the conflict, eight of them have been targeted by Russia and 35 by Ukraine. He added that Turkey continues to voice its concerns and is closely monitoring the situation at the highest levels.
“This cycle must end as soon as possible, and negotiations must be organized in Istanbul so that an agreement can finally be reached,” Çelik said.
International diplomatic efforts to end the war are continuing as new partners are brought on board. National security advisers to the leaders of the “Normandy Format” and European countries—France, the United Kingdom, and Germany—arrived in Kyiv at the same time as a delegation of American negotiators and joined one of the sessions. The Kremlin expressed dissatisfaction with their involvement in the negotiations.
This was reported by the Daily Sabah.
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