Erdogan and Putin held closed-door talks on ending the war in Ukraine
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a closed-door meeting in Bishkek on September 1 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. The talks lasted about 90 minutes, and Moscow once again stated its readiness to discuss the Ukrainian issue in Turkey.
The meeting took place on September 1 at the Ala-Archa state residence. Also present were Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of the National Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalin.
According to the publication Türkiye Today, the main topic of the talks was the situation in the Black Sea. Kremlin Foreign Policy Advisor Yuri Ushakov stated that the Black Sea situation was the main issue discussed by Erdogan and Putin. At the same time, the presidents also touched on the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reported that the parties discussed the possibility of holding talks on “resolving the Ukrainian conflict” on Turkish territory.
According to Peskov, Ankara has repeatedly offered its venues for such talks. “The Turkish side continues to propose this at various levels,” the Kremlin spokesperson said.
Thus, the meeting did not result in a specific agreement to end the war. Rather, it concerned the possibility of holding further talks on Ukraine in Turkey.
Ankara has repeatedly attempted to act as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow. Turkey has experience organizing direct contacts between representatives of Ukraine and Russia and has also been a party to agreements related to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
During the meeting, the presidents paid special attention to bilateral relations. Putin called Turkey one of Russia’s “privileged partners” in foreign policy and the economy. Among key joint projects, he mentioned the construction of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.
Erdogan stated that relations between Turkey and Russia are at a “more advanced level” than ever before. He also highlighted the two countries’ cooperation in the fields of energy, agriculture, and tourism. At the same time, no statements were made regarding specific agreements on a ceasefire following the meeting between Erdoğan and Putin.
Source: Türkiye Today
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