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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations and the ongoing peace process between Ukraine and Russia, according to a statement from Türkiye's Directorate of Communications.
The conversation covered "bilateral relations between Türkiye and Ukraine, the peace process between Ukraine and Russia, and regional and global issues," the Turkish presidency said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
During the call, "President Erdogan stated that they are closely following the contacts in Alaska and Washington, that Türkiye continues its efforts for the war to result in permanent peace, and that Türkiye will continue to contribute to Ukraine's security with the establishment of peace."
Erdogan told Zelenskyy that "a fair solution is possible in the Ukraine-Russia war, that negotiations between the two sides should be strengthened and continued, and that Türkiye is ready to do its best for high-level contacts that will pave the way for peace."
The Turkish president also congratulated Ukraine on its Independence Day during the conversation.
Türkiye has hosted key diplomatic encounters between Moscow and Kyiv since the early weeks of the ongoing conflict, including three rounds of direct peace talks between the two countries on May 16, June 2, and July 23 in Istanbul.
The three rounds of renewed peace talks in the Turkish metropolis produced major prisoner swaps and an exchange of draft memorandums outlining both sides' positions for a future peace deal.
"I spoke with President Erdogan. Thank you for your support of Ukraine and our people, for the constant readiness and commitment to help achieve a genuine peace. We deeply value all the assistance provided by Türkiye." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on X.
"We exchanged views on the current situation and discussed the next diplomatic steps. Ukraine is ready to engage in the format of leaders, as this is the only effective format. Unfortunately, it is Russia that avoids this and continues its war," Zelenskyy said.
"Last night, the Russians once again struck Ukraine, launching more than 30 missiles and around 600 drones. As a result of this attack, 17 people were killed, including four children. Dozens more are in critical condition, and doctors are now fighting for their lives. There were strikes on a Turkish enterprise, the Embassy of Azerbaijan, the EU Delegation, the British Council, and residential areas," Zelenskyy added.
"This is Putin's response to all the efforts by Ukraine, the United States, and our European partners to stop the killings. That is why pressure is needed – through sanctions, tariffs, and political measures," Zelenskyy noted.
"We are counting on strong steps. We also discussed security guarantees extensively. National security advisors are now working on every specific component, and the entire framework will be set out on paper next week. President Erdogan informed me that he is involving his Minister of Defense in the process to explore how Türkiye can contribute to ensuring security, particularly in the Black Sea," Zelenskyy concluded.
Recently, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that discussions are planned this week with countries that could host a potential summit with Russia aimed at ending the ongoing war.
"Now, this week, there will be contacts with Türkiye, there will be contacts with the Gulf countries, with the countries of Europe, which can be platforms for talks with the Russians," Zelenskyy said in an evening video address shared on Telegram.
Zelenskyy noted that the following steps will depend on the will of world leaders, particularly the United States, to pressure Russia to participate in negotiations.
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