We are in contact with both Russia and Ukraine; we are now seeing a chance to accomplish lasting peace," said Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday. In this way he commented on the proposal of the second circular of negotiations, announced on Wednesday by the Russian Ministry of abroad Affairs.
"We cannot ignore the message of Russian abroad Minister Sergei Lavrow. It increased our hope for peace even more" - stated the Turkish president in an interview with journalists on the plane he was returning from Azerbaijan.
"The way to ending the war leads through talks and diplomacy. We have committed all our diplomatic possible and strength to bring about peace" - said Erdogan.
Lavrow reported on Wednesday about proposing Ukraine to hold another circular of peace talks on 2 June in Istanbul. "The Russian side, according to the findings, rapidly developed the applicable memorandum which sets out our position on all aspects of the reliable elimination of the causes of the crisis" - he added, referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Peace talks
Ukrainian defence minister Rust Umierov, who represented Kiev during erstwhile talks in Turkey, replied that Ukraine expects to transmit the text of the Memorandum on the peace agreement before the proposed talks.
On 16 May, the first direct talks of the Russian and Ukrainian delegation took place in Istanbul in over 3 years. Moscow and Kiev agreed to exchange prisoners according to the expression of 1000 for 1000, which was implemented last weekend. However, negotiations did not lead to a ceasefire agreement and Moscow stated that certain conditions had to be met before this could be done.
Friday is 1192nd day of war. Russia v Ukraine.
Source: PAP
