Around 30 Turkish citizens remain in Ukraine's southern port city of Mariupol, suffering from one of the worst humanitarian crises since Russia's invasion, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Friday.
Holding a joint press conference with Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez in the capital Ankara, Çavuşoğlu said 87 Turkish citizens remain in Ukraine, with the total rising to around 190 people, including those accompanying them.
"(The evacuation of Turkish citizens from Ukraine) We made efforts for humanitarian issues at least as much as a cease-fire and lasting peace. Mariupol was the place where we had the most difficulty. We welcome yesterday's silence. After this silence, it was easier for our citizens to leave. Currently, we have 87 citizens in Ukraine."
"We said that there is a meaningful progress in Istanbul, this needs to continue. We continue our contacts at all levels without interruption," he added.
The United Nations believes thousands of people have died in Mariupol after more than a month under Russian siege and relentless bombardment.
The Red Cross had hoped to begin evacuations from the city on Friday with the first aid convoy, but Ukraine said Russia had prevented buses from reaching it on Thursday.
A humanitarian evacuation mission from Ukraine’s embattled port city of Mariupol in cooperation with Turkey and Greece is still on the table, French Presidency said Tuesday.
France, Turkey, and Greece plan to organize a joint evacuation in a humanitarian mission overseen by the United Nations. The Elysee Palace said that the Russian side must ensure that civilians can leave the city in any direction they wish and that there is unimpeded, secured access for aid deliveries.
The French government said that Mariupol lacks water, food, and medicine, adding that humanitarian law should be respected.
Around 160,000 civilians are estimated to be still trapped in the city, where fierce fighting and bombardment have created infernal conditions.
At least 5,000 people are estimated to have died in the city since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24.