President Erdogan Says Turkey Supports Termination Of Sea And Air Attacks In The Russia-Ukraine War

President Erdogan attended an online meeting held by the European Union. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkey)

JAKARTA - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Turkey supported the idea of immediately stopping air and seastrikes as a step to build trust between Ukraine and Russia, a concrete step towards a ceasefire.

"Our efforts to reach an agreement that would ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea are in line with this approach," President Erdogan said at an online meeting hosted by the European Union.

President Erdogan's remarks came shortly after Ukrainian President Zelensky repeated his demands to "stop in the sky and also stop at sea," in a post on X, following Russia's "massive" attack on the country's previous energy network.

Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said London and Paris proposed a ceasefire for one month "at sea and in energy infrastructure" in the war in Ukraine.

Turkey, which has twice hosted Ukraine-Russia negotiations since the start of the war, also believes both sides should sit down together so that peace negotiations can proceed.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said on the same day the draft peace agreement discussed between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul in 2022 could be an early point in resolving the Ukraine crisis.

"Today, we highlight the importance of a solid diplomatic foundation where the two warring sides will sit together for a just, lasting and honorable peace," he said.

Turkey, which is also a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is trying to maintain good relations with its warring neighboring countries in the Black Sea.

Ankara has provided drones for Ukraine, but has avoided Western-led sanctions against Moscow. Turkey has also brokered a wheat agreement under the shadow of conflict and exchange of prisoners between the two sides.

"It is important for Turkey to be included in mechanisms such as the European Peace Facility, which aims to rebuild and revitalize Ukraine," President Erdogan said.

Turkey believes that planning all measures related to European security with Ankara will be "the common interest of us," he added.

"We believe there is no explanation for our exception from the EU defense product procurement and reconstruction program, given our defense industry support for Ukraine and the contribution of our private sector, which did not leave the country despite war conditions," he said.

He reiterated that European security is not only a concern for EU members.

"With all these efforts, it is undoubtedly important to get strong support from our ally, the US, and protect trans-Atlantic relations optimally," he added.