FM Çavuşoğlu holds talks with Ukrainian, Russian counterparts
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu (C) chairs a tripartite meeting with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (L) and Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba (R) in Antalya, southern Turkey, March 10, 2022. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP)


Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on Monday talked with his Ukrainian and Russian counterparts about the latest developments in Ukraine, a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

In a phone call, Çavuşoğlu and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba addressed the latest situation in Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion of the country.

On Twitter, Kuleba said Çavuşoğlu told him about Turkey’s ongoing efforts to end the conflict. He added that they agreed to coordinate joint efforts to restore peace in Ukraine.

"Grateful to Turkey for its solidarity at this difficult time," Kuleba said.

Hours later, Çavuşoğlu also held a phone call with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the ministry said.

The statement said the two officials discussed the latest developments in Ukraine.

Lavrov and Kuleba met in Turkey’s southern Antalya province last Thursday under Ankara’s auspices.

But the highest-level contact between the two sides since Russia launched its aggression on Ukraine on Feb. 24 made no apparent progress toward a cease-fire.

Ankara said arranging the meeting between the two officials was in itself a diplomatic victory.

NATO member Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, has good relations with both countries.

It has called Russia’s invasion unacceptable and has ramped up efforts to undertake a facilitator role to find a solution to the conflict.

Ukraine on Sunday said it was working with Israel and Turkey as mediators to finalize a location and framework for peace negotiations with Russia.