Erdogan tells Putin momentum in Istanbul talks needs to be maintained
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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan repeated an offer to host the Russian and Ukrainian leaders for peace talks.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ANKARA (REUTERS) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in a phone call that maintaining the "positive momentum" achieved in talks between Ukraine and Russia earlier this month in Istanbul would benefit all sides, his office said on Tuesday (April 26).
NATO member Turkey shares a border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both, and has been working as a mediator.
It has hosted two separate talks between Ukraine and Russia and has been pushing to host a leaders' meeting.
"President Erdogan, who stated the importance of achieving a ceasefire, of working humanitarian corridors effectively, and of carrying out evacuations in a safe way, noted that Turkey would continue doing its utmost to halt this course of events damaging everyone and ensure lasting peace," the Turkish presidency said in a statement.
He also repeated an offer to host the Russian and Ukrainian leaders for peace talks, it said. On Sunday (April 23), Mr Erdogan also spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
