Erdogan congratulated Putin and called on him to end the war
8 October 00:51
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, during which he called on him to intensify diplomatic efforts for a just peace in Ukraine. This was reported by the Directorate of Communications of the Turkish presidential administration, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
During the conversation, the parties discussed bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia, as well as regional and global issues.
“The Turkish head of state also emphasized that diplomatic initiatives must gain momentum to ensure that the war between Ukraine and Russia ends in a just and sustainable peace, and reaffirmed that Turkey will continue to work for peace,” the official statement said.
During the conversation, Erdogan also congratulated Putin on his birthday, which he celebrated on October 7.
In addition to the topic of Ukraine, the leaders discussed a number of regional and global issues. In particular, the Turkish president said that Ankara is making efforts to establish a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to the civilian population.
It is worth noting that Erdogan has repeatedly positioned Turkey as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow, emphasizing the importance of negotiations. Despite its NATO membership, Ankara maintains economic ties with Russia, particularly in the energy sector.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Turkish leader for continuing to buy Russian oil, calling for a limit on energy imports from Russia. Washington also links the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey’s position on supporting U.S. sanctions.
At the same time, trump stated that he would like to see Erdogan mediate between russia and Ukraine and “bring” the parties to the negotiating table. The politician even referred to Russia as a “paper tiger,” hinting that Moscow has failed to achieve its military goals in the more than four years since the invasion.
