Erdogan asks Putin to maintain “Istanbul Talks” Momentum

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called on his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to maintain the positive momentum achieved in talks between Moscow and Kiev earlier this month in Istanbul, stressing that it will be in the interest of all parties.

Turkey, a NATO member that shares borders with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good relations with both countries and is mediating a resolution to their dispute. The two rounds of talks have hosted separate talks between Ukraine and Russia and are pushing to host a summit meeting between the two heads of state.

“During a phone conversation with Putin, President Erdogan spoke about the importance of reaching a ceasefire, the effective functioning of humanitarian corridors and safe evacuation operations”, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

“Turkey will continue to do its utmost to stop the course of events that harm everyone and to ensure lasting peace”, Erdogan said.

He also reiterated an offer to host peace talks between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

The Turkish president also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday.