Turkey has emerged as the only country that can act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine due to its political and strategic location, the Chairperson of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said Tuesday.
Speaking at his party’s parliamentary group meeting in Ankara, Bahçeli said Turkey is the only country that can de-escalate the conflict between the two countries and act as a mediator.
Urging Moscow to immediately halt its military invasion in Ukraine, Bahçeli said the war is resulting in serious economic and humanitarian consequences.
"Innocent civilians are being targeted as casualties mount and the humanitarian crisis reaches horrendous levels," Bahçeli said.
He continued by criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin for accepting negotiation talks and sending delegations on the one hand, but continuing to carry out military operations as planned.
He also criticized Russia for launching the invasion, saying that contrary to Moscow’s claims that there has been a two-sided disagreement, it is a one-sided occupation.
Bahçeli also said the trilateral meeting between Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts in Ankara on Thursday is a positive development regardless.
"There will be no winner in the Russia-Ukraine war but only mass losers," he added.
On Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, in which he told the Russian leader that Turkey is ready to contribute to the solution of the Ukraine problem by peaceful means as soon as possible.
Çavuşoğlu also spoke with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts on Sunday, discussing the latest developments in Ukraine.
Maintaining its neutral and balanced stance, Turkey continues its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict, urging all sides to exercise restraint. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed the Bosporus and Dardanelles under a 1936 pact, allowing it to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing the Turkish Straits.
NATO ally Turkey borders Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. 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. Having recently called Russia’s invasion an unacceptable violation of international law, Turkey has carefully formulated its rhetoric not to offend Moscow, with which it has close energy, defense and tourism ties.