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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking alongside his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, said the war in Ukraine must stop and that Ankara would pursue diplomatic efforts to arrange a lasting ceasefire.
Mr Cavusoglu told reporters after a meeting with Mr Lavrov that Nato member Turkey hoped Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a step towards peace.
“The war must stop, people must not die. I came here to Moscow with this understanding today,” Mr Cavusoglu said.
“We have shared our concerns in a sincere way and done our part to ease tension and open the stage for diplomacy.
“We would like to host this [Putin-Zelenskyy] meeting when the situation comes to that point … for a lasting ceasefire.”
Mr Lavrov said there were no obstacles to a meeting between Mr Putin and Mr Zelenskyy but that it would only take place to seal a specific agreement.
Last week, Mr Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba held talks in Turkey in the first such meeting since Russia invaded Ukraine.
Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both and has offered to mediate between the warring countries. It has voiced support for Ukraine, but also opposed sanctions on Moscow.
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This satellite image shows Epicentr K shopping centre before it was damaged in Chernihiv, Ukraine. AP Photo -
Epicentr K shopping centre after it was destroyed. AP Photo -
Apartment buildings before the conflict began, in western Mariupol, Ukraine. AFP -
The apartment buildings after they were hit. AFP -
A hospital in Mariupol before an attack. Reuters -
The Mariupol hospital with airstrike damage after the Russian attack. AP Photo -
Portcity shopping mall and other stores in Mariupol in February. AP Photo -
The heavily damaged Portcity shopping mall and surrounding stores on March 9. AP Photo -
Homes and buildings in Mariupol before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Reuters -
The destroyed homes and buildings in Mariupol. Reuters
Mr Cavusoglu said on Wednesday that Turkey's priority was removing citizens remaining in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
More than 15,000 Turks have already left the country.
Moscow has denied attacking civilian areas in what it calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Later on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said he had held a phone call with Mr Zelenskyy and told him that Turkey is making “intense” diplomatic efforts for a lasting ceasefire to be established quickly.
Mr Erdogan also said in the call that he would continue his efforts to arrange a meeting between Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Putin.
