ISTANBUL – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threw his support behind a call by Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky for an aerial and sea truce in the Ukraine war.
“We support the idea of establishing a ceasefire as soon as possible and stopping attacks in the air and at sea as a confidence-building measure between the parties,” Erdogan told an online meeting organized by the EU.
“Our efforts to reach an agreement that will guarantee the safety of navigation in the Black Sea align with this approach,” he said.
His statement came shortly after the Ukrainian president repeated his demand for “silence in the skies… and also silence at sea,” on X following a “massive” Russian attack on the country’s energy grid overnight.
And on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron said London and Paris were proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine “in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure.”
Erdogan, whose country has twice hosted Ukraine-Russia talks at the start of the war, also said both sides must be seated at the table for any peace negotiations to work.
“Today, we draw attention to the importance of a solid diplomatic ground where both warring parties will be at the table for a just, lasting and honorable peace,” he said.
NATO member Turkiye has sought to maintain good relations with both of its Black Sea neighbors since the Russian invasion three years ago and has twice hosted direct talks aimed at ending the war.
AN-AFP
