Türkiye’s Ombudsman Institution (KDK) will meet with the officials of the Ombudsman of Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul to discuss the "convergence corridor" mechanism in the coming days in order to reunite thousands of children separated from their parents in the Russia-Ukraine war with their families.
Making evaluations about the "convergence corridor" mechanism, Turkish Ombudsman Şeref Malkoç reminded that Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and occupied important regions. Malkoç pointed out that thousands of people suffered during the war and that this was a human tragedy.
“War is a very bad thing. Wars have no winners. But I would like to state that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in constant contact with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and these meetings have had important repercussions. Almost 8 million tons of grain reached people in need in different parts of the world through grain corridor and there was a prisoner exchange too,” Malkoç said.
Malkoç also stated that UNICEF wants Türkiye to be a bridge for children separated from their families in Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
“The parents of some of the children died, the parents of some of them went to different places due to the war. UNICEF said that the Turkish Ombudsman has very good relations with the Russian and Ukrainian Ombudsmen. They asked us if you could do some work to save unaccompanied children in these regions or to support them and reunite them with their families,” Malkoç added.
"I met with the Ombudsmen of Russia and Ukraine with the thought that reuniting the children with their families in Istanbul would be hope for the whole world. As a result of the negotiations, it was agreed to meet in Istanbul. The meeting date will be clarified and shared with the public in a few days. In principle, an agreement was reached with both for a platform in Istanbul. I hope we will make it happen. Our greatest wish is that the war will end as soon as possible,” the Turkish Ombudsman stressed.
Türkiye is one of the most active countries working to ensure a permanent cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. Its delicately balanced act of assuming a role as a mediator by keeping communication channels with both warring sides open provides a glimmer of hope in diplomatic efforts to find a solution and achieve peace in the Ukraine crisis. With its unique position of having friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye has won widespread praise for its push to end the war.
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. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed its straits to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing through them.
