Turkey Ready To Facilitate Ukraine Peace Meeting With Russian Participation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara was ready to host a summit on peace in Ukraine, with Russia's participation.

"We are ready to hold the summit of peace with Russia's participation. The Black Sea initiative helps prevent the global food crisis. This agreement was also previously reached in this hall. We are ready to provide all possible support for a new agreement, as before," the Turkish leader said in a press statement attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul..

Moscow has repeatedly indicated they are ready to negotiate, but Kiev has imposed a legislative ban on negotiations with Russia.

Western countries have also ignored Ukraine's refusal to have a dialogue with Russia.

Earlier, the Kremlin said there were currently no prerequisites for the situation in Ukraine to turn to peace; and the absolute priority for Russia is achieving the objectives of special military operations, which can currently only be carried out militaryly.

Zelenskyy said it was against Erdogan's idea to hold a summit of peace with Russia's participation.

"We don't see the (need) Russian representatives at such a summit," Zelenskyy said at a joint news conference with Turkish leaders in Istanbul on Friday.

Zelenskyy repeated his old statement that peace plans must be prepared by other countries without Moscow's participation, a idea Russia has repeatedly rejected.