Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has proposed mediating to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the Turkish presidency announced on Wednesday.
The offer came during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where they discussed various geopolitical issues including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the Syrian conflict, and counterterrorism efforts.
The two leaders discussed the current state of bilateral relations between Turkey and Russia.
They addressed the Israeli offensive in Palestinian territories, the aim to reduce tensions in Syria, and ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s commitment to pursuing peace in the region and globally.
Since the onset of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Turkey has maintained a balanced relationship with both countries and has consistently offered to mediate the conflict.
The meeting took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, during a regional summit attended by various leaders.
Putin was in Astana for the 24th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), where he also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Pakistan.
