ISTANBUL - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday pressed Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to declare a “unilateral” ceasefire in Ukraine.

“President Erdogan said that calls for peace and negotiations should be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a vision for a fair solution,” his office quoted Mr Erdogan as telling Mr Putin in a telephone call.

Mr Erdogan was due to follow the talks with a separate conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later on Thursday.

The Turkish leader has used his good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv to try and mediate an end to the war.

Turkey hosted two early rounds peace talks and helped strike a United Nations-backed agreement restoring Ukrainian grain deliveries across the Black Sea.

Mr Erdogan has also repeatedly tried to bring Mr Putin to Mr Zelensky to Turkey for a peace summit.

Mr Erdogan’s call for a “unilateral” ceasefire followed a proposal earlier Thursday by Russia’s spiritual leader Patriarch Kirill for an Orthodox Christmas truce this week. . Orthodox Christians, including those living in Russia and Ukraine, celebrate Christmas on Jan 6-7. AFP