ISTANBUL, March 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Russian and Ukrainian delegations to “put an end to this tragedy” as he hosted talks in Istanbul on Tuesday.
The face-to-face talks at the Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul are aimed at trying to end a war has killed an estimated 20,000 people and forced more than 10 million from their homes.
It is the first time that the two countries’ delegations, who arrived in Turkey on Monday, met after several rounds of talks by videoconference.
“The two parties have legitimate concerns, it’s possible to reach a solution acceptable to the international community,” Erdogan said.
“It’s up to the two parties to put an end to this tragedy,” he insisted, adding that the “extension of the conflict is in no one’s interest”.
In a televised speech to the negotiators ahead of their first discussions in more than two weeks, Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire in the war that began last month when Russia invaded Ukraine.
“It is up to the sides to stop this tragedy. Achieving a ceasefire and peace as soon as possible is to the benefit of everyone. We think we have now entered a period where concrete results are needed from talks,” he said.
“The negotiating process, which you have been carrying out under the orders of your leaders, has raised hopes for peace.”
The Ukrainian embassy in Ankara said the delegation heads had begun talks and discussions would follow between the full delegations.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday Ukraine’s most ambitious goal at the Turkey talks this week was to agree a ceasefire. A senior US official said Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear ready to make compromises to end the war.
NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both and has offered to mediate the conflict. While calling Moscow’s invasion unacceptable, Ankara has also opposed the Western sanctions.
Turkey on March 10 hosted the first meeting between Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers since the invasion of Ukraine last month in the southern Turkish city of Antalya. — NNN-AGENCIES
