ISTANBUL: Türkiye is ready to host a summit between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday (Mar 8) after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul
Turkish resident Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrive at a press conference following their meeting in Istanbul on Mar 8, 2024. ISTANBUL: Türkiye is ready to host a summit between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday after
"We discussed developments about the war in detail today, I stated our observations with all my sincerity," Erdogan said at a press conference alongside Zelenskyy, whose trip comes before an expected visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin following elections in Russia, on Mar 15-17. Zelenskyy said Russia would not be invited to the first peace summit due to be held in Switzerland in the coming months, but that a Russian representative could be invited to the next meeting after a roadmap for peace had been agreed upon with Ukrainian allies.
Türkiye has provided Ukraine with armed drones and also inked an agreement for their joint production at a factory near Kyiv, but progress has been hindered by the war. It has provided Kyiv with other forms of military support but opposes the Western sanctions on Russia. "I met with the Turkish defence industry representatives. We are prepared to move quickly to put everything we discussed into action," he added, without elaborating.