The Russian-Ukranian war is likely to escalate in the coming months, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın warned on Friday as Türkiye continues to press for a fair and peaceful solution to the conflict.
“More war means more destruction, and a deeper, longer crisis. This is not good for anyone,” Kalın wrote on Twitter.
“Türkiye will continue its efforts for negotiations, cease-fire, prisoner exchange, nuclear security and grain export,” he added.
Most recently, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts on the phone on Thursday.
Erdoğan told his Russian President Vladimir Putin that peace and negotiation calls must be supported by a unilateral cease-fire as well as a vision of a fair solution.
Putin said that Russia was ready for a dialogue on Ukraine but that Kyiv must fulfill the previously announced requirements and consider "new territorial realities,” according to the Kremlin.
Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February last year.
Türkiye has since enabled a prisoner swap between the warring countries. Also, Turkish mediation proved vital in facilitating the signing of a deal between Türkiye, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul to reopen certain Ukrainian ports to release grain that had been stuck for months owing to the ongoing conflict. This development has been crucial in responding to a growing global food crisis.
Türkiye is one of the most active countries working to ensure a permanent cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. Its delicately balanced act of assuming a mediator role by keeping communication channels with both warring sides open provides a glimmer of hope in diplomatic efforts to find a solution and achieve peace in the Ukraine crisis.
With its unique position of having friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye has won widespread appreciation for its push to end the war.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Ankara has offered to mediate between the two sides and host peace talks, underlining its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed its straits to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing.
In a breakthrough, Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for peace talks in Istanbul on March 29. Türkiye also hosted Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in Antalya earlier in March.
