FM Çavuşoğlu discusses situation in Ukraine with Lavrov, Kuleba

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu discussed developments in the Russia-Ukraine war with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts Sergey Lavrov and Dmitro Kuleba in a phone call.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Çavuşoğlu and Lavrov touched upon the issues talked about by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin in an earlier phone call.

In his conversation with Kuleba, Çavuşoğlu discussed the latest developments in Ukraine, the ministry added.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar also discussed the necessity to establish a cease-fire in Ukraine with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov in a phone call on Sunday.

Maintaining its neutral and balanced stance, Turkey continues its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict, urging all sides to exercise restraint. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed the Bosporus and Dardanelles under a 1936 pact, allowing it to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing the Turkish Straits.

NATO ally Turkey borders Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. 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. Having recently called Russia’s invasion an unacceptable violation of international law, Turkey has carefully formulated its rhetoric not to offend Moscow, with which it has close energy, defense and tourism ties.

Ankara has said it wants to bring together Ukraine and Russia’s foreign ministers for talks at a diplomacy forum next week in southern Turkey. Both Ukraine and Russia have voiced openness to such talks.