Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss bilateral relations and pressing regional and global developments, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.

According to a statement released by the Turkish Presidency on Sunday, President Erdoğan welcomed Putin's recent remarks calling for the resumption of direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye's readiness to host the talks in İstanbul, emphasizing the country's longstanding role as a mediator and facilitator in the conflict.

“A window of opportunity has opened for peace,” Erdoğan reportedly told Putin. He stressed that declaring a comprehensive ceasefire would create the necessary atmosphere to reinitiate dialogue and lay the groundwork for a lasting political solution.

The Turkish President underscored the urgency of de-escalation and diplomacy, highlighting that the humanitarian cost of the war continues to mount. Erdoğan affirmed that Türkiye would continue supporting efforts to end the conflict and restore regional stability through peaceful means.

The conversation comes amid renewed discussions around ceasefire proposals and mounting international pressure to end the war, which has dragged on since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. (ILKHA)