Defense Minister Hulusi Akar discussed the safe transportation of Turkish commercial ships and the stranded A400M Turkish aircraft with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, on Tuesday.

According to a statement by the Defense Ministry, Akar told Reznikov that Turkey will continue to do its part in establishing peace in Ukraine and send humanitarian aid.

He also reiterated the importance of declaring a permanent cease-fire at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the two ministers also evaluated the safe transportation of Turkish commercial ships waiting at Ukrainian ports and A400M aircraft stranded in the county, said the statement.

At least 3,381 civilians have been killed and 3,680 others injured in Ukraine since the war with Russia began on Feb. 24, according to UN estimates. The true toll is feared to be much higher.

More than 5.8 million people have fled to other countries, with some 7.7 million people internally displaced, according to the U.N. refugee agency.