Erdogan offers to mediate peace talks in Ukraine conflict
President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has declared his willingness to organize peace negotiations regarding Ukraine. During a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, he emphasized that Turkey is prepared to support the process of achieving lasting peace.
Key points:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct peace talks with Ukraine, possibly taking place on May 15 in Istanbul.
- President Erdogan announced Turkey's readiness to facilitate negotiations for peace in Ukraine.
- French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Putin's proposal as a "delaying manoeuvre," asserting that it does not constitute a sufficient step towards peace.
Putin's proposal for direct peace talks with Ukraine includes the possibility of hosting the discussions in Istanbul on May 15. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's foreign affairs advisor, indicated that the negotiations should consider the situation on the front and build upon the halted talks from the fall of 2022.
In his conversation with President Macron, President Erdogan expressed Turkey's readiness to organize peace negotiations. He emphasized that the current situation represents a historic turning point that should be utilized to end the conflict. Turkey is prepared to provide all possible support, including organizing negotiations, to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace.
President Macron described Putin's proposal as a "delaying manoeuvre," suggesting that, although it is a preliminary step towards peace, it remains insufficient. The West has consistently accused Russia of stalling for time, which Macron believes is the intent behind the Kremlin's current proposal.
Zelensky responds to Putin's proposals
Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the negotiations.
"We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – full, lasting, and reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet," he conveyed in a statement on Telegram and X.
"It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war. The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire," wrote Volodymyr Zelensky.
