Türkiye continues its talks with Russia and Ukraine to end their ongoing war, soon set to enter its 10th month, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
"We witnessed, along with the grain agreement and exchange of prisoners, that the way to peace can be paved if diplomacy is given an opportunity," Erdoğan told a trilateral summit between Türkiye, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, mentioning Turkish-brokered agreements between the two sides.
"We continue our talks with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy in this direction. Hopefully, we will achieve a cease-fire and then lasting peace in our region."
"As the president of Türkiye, I have stated from the beginning that ... a just peace can only be established through dialogue. From the very first day, we have made sincere efforts at the bilateral and other levels to stop the bloodshed and end the conflicts," he said.
Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.
"I sincerely believe that our relations, which are strengthened by our fraternal ties, will be further strengthened based on our strategic advantages. Our goal is to evaluate new opportunities that develop with global and regional dynamics in line with the welfare of our people and the stability of our region," Erdoğan said.