Ending Russian-Ukrainian war is priority for Turkey, Erdogan says

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, must end with a fair and sustainable peace agreement.

He made this statement on April 11 at the opening ceremony of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, as reported by Ukrinform.

“Ending the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has been going on for the fourth year, with the conclusion of a fair and sustainable peace agreement remains our priority. We have taken many steps, including the Black Sea Grain Initiative, prisoner exchanges, and the Istanbul process. I hope that we will continue to maintain a balanced and proactive attitude, which we have adhered to from the first day,” said the Turkish president.

According to him, Turkey is ready to make efforts to create a peace and security belt around its territory. It also seeks to establish good relations with its neighbors, expand cooperation, and trade.

“We understand well that peace requires more effort than war. But we have always chosen the difficult path, not the easy one. Today, we stand by the difficult. With this understanding, as we fight for peace and stability in countries with which we have close friendly relations, such as Ukraine, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia, we also take responsibility through initiatives such as mediation and support in Africa and Asia,” said the Turkish leader.

• Earlier, Erdogan proposed Turkey as a mediator in talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.