Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed Türkiye’s readiness to facilitate direct talks between Russia and Ukraine. This offer was made during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, amid ongoing efforts to address the conflict between the two nations and maintain stability in the Black Sea region.
The conversation, which also covered bilateral relations and regional security, underscored the importance of safe navigation in the Black Sea, a critical route for trade and energy shipments. Erdogan emphasized Türkiye’s willingness to provide diplomatic support to create conducive conditions for dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv.
In addition to discussing the potential for Türkiye’s role in mediating discussions, Erdogan took the opportunity to congratulate Putin on his birthday and on the success of his party in Russia’s recent State Duma elections. The phone call highlighted the continued high-level communication between Türkiye and Russia amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions.