Türkiye ready to contribute to peace between Russia, Ukraine: Foreign Minister Fidan

Security guarantees are an issue that Ankara closely follows, Hakan Fidan says

Türkiye is ready to contribute to peace between Russia and Ukraine, the Turkish foreign minister said on Monday. In a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Hakan Fidan said security guarantees are an issue that Ankara closely follows. Fidan emphasized that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been working from the start to bring the war to an end. “The security guarantees and other issues raised in the recent talks between the US and Russia are matters we are closely monitoring. In principle, Türkiye is ready to take every step that will contribute to peace,” Fidan said. Noting that as the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fourth year, he mentioned that there is an initiative launched by the US aimed at ending the war through negotiations. “This situation aligns with the policy we have been following since the beginning of the war. We attach great importance to the new US initiative as a results-oriented approach. We believe that a solution can be reached through negotiations in which both sides participate,” the Turkish foreign minister said. “In this context, we are ready to provide every support for the establishment of peace through negotiations," Fidan said, adding that Türkiye is ready to host such talks. He also said that Ankara will continue its efforts to ensure navigation safety in the Black Sea, adding: “If implemented, this step will be an important confidence-building measure.” On Syria, the Turkish minister said that he and Lavrov also discussed developments in the war-torn country. “We are fully convinced that Syria’s territorial integrity and unity must be preserved.” Türkiye and Russia share a similar view regarding putting an end to separatist movements in Syria, Fidan said. There can be no tolerance for terrorist organizations taking root in Syria, he added.