Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed Turkey’s willingness to host the leaders of Russia and Ukraine in an effort to facilitate dialogue and resolve ongoing tensions between the two nations. The announcement came following a meeting between President Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate released a statement on Thursday highlighting the discussions between Erdogan and Zelensky, which centered on bilateral and regional issues, with a significant focus on ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Erdogan emphasized the importance of keeping communication channels open and expressed his eagerness to welcome the leaders of both countries when they are prepared to negotiate.

Erdogan stated that the current state of the war between Moscow and Kyiv necessitates direct negotiations to reach a solution and find common ground to prevent further casualties. He underscored the historic opportunity present to initiate dialogue and offered strong support for negotiations at both technical and leadership levels.

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions, suggesting Istanbul as the venue and requesting Erdogan’s assistance in hosting the talks. President Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s readiness to facilitate these negotiations to achieve a fair and lasting peace. The Ukrainian government has shown support for the initiative, and the international community is now paying close attention to the potential meetings in Istanbul.