President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Türkiye is ready to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and act as a facilitator.
In a phone call, Erdoğan and Zelenskyy discussed regional and global issues, especially the Ukraine war, Türkiye's Communications Directorate said on X.
Türkiye is making "intense efforts" to stop the bloodshed in both Ukraine and the Palestinian territories and to ensure permanent peace, Erdoğan said. A cease-fire should be achieved in Ukraine as soon as possible and the door should be opened for peace, the Turkish leader added.
He also said that it is important for the Black Sea grain corridor to be restructured and become operational and that he continues diplomatic contacts for this purpose.
Türkiye was a key player in the now-on-hold deal that allowed for the safe passage of Ukrainian grain shipments via the Black Sea despite the blockade of its ports after Moscow launched its invasion in late February 2022.
The accord, brokered by Ankara and the United Nations in July 2022, ended after Moscow refused to renew it. Ankara has ramped up efforts to try to revive the initiative.
Türkiye has positioned itself as an intermediary in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Erdoğan was a key player in brokering the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Moscow withdrew from the accord on July 17, accusing the West of hampering its own grain and fertilizer exports, and has since attacked Ukrainian agricultural and port infrastructure. It has said that it was ready to return to the deal once an accompanying agreement concerning Russia was implemented.
