President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East, with Erdoğan stressing that Türkiye does not approve of attacks on Iran or Tehran’s retaliatory actions, as the war continues to threaten broader regional and global stability, the Presidential Communications Directorate said in a statement.
During the phone call, Erdoğan emphasized that Ankara rejects both the initial strikes targeting Iran and Tehran’s responses against regional countries, underscoring that Türkiye is maintaining intensive diplomatic contacts with all parties to prevent the conflict from spiraling further out of control.
He also warned that the Israeli government’s aggressive policies across the region must be restrained, stressing that any attempts to erode the status of Jerusalem would be unacceptable.
The Turkish president further highlighted the importance of preserving stability in Syria, noting that developments there are being closely monitored and that strengthening stability serves the common interests of both Türkiye and Russia. He cautioned against jeopardizing the fragile gains achieved in the country.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye’s efforts to facilitate peace must not be undermined. He urged all sides to avoid steps that could escalate tensions, warning that attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea harm regional stability.
He also stressed that the ongoing Iran-centered conflict should not create new fronts in the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Kremlin, for its part, said both leaders shared a common position on the need for an immediate cease-fire and the pursuit of compromise-based peace agreements that take into account the legitimate interests of all regional states.
"It was noted that intense military action is leading to serious negative consequences not only regionally but also globally, including in the areas of energy, trade, and logistics," the Kremlin said in a statement.
The two leaders also discussed the importance of coordinated efforts to ensure security in the Black Sea, with Moscow accusing Ukraine of attempting to target gas infrastructure linking Russia and Türkiye.
Russian energy giant Gazprom said Thursday that its forces repelled a drone attack on part of the TurkStream pipeline, which connects southern Russia to Türkiye and supplies gas to several European countries, including Hungary, Slovakia and Serbia.
The developments come as Ukraine continues to target Russian energy infrastructure in an effort to weaken Moscow’s war financing capabilities, while Russian strikes have left millions of Ukrainians without electricity and heating since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
The Middle East war, triggered over a month ago by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has since expanded across the region, rattling global markets and affecting millions worldwide.
