Meloni thanks Erdoğan for diplomatic efforts to end Ukraine-Russia war

ANKARA

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has expressed gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Türkiye’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

According to a statement released by the Italian Prime Minister's Office, the two leaders spoke by phone on Tuesday evening about the current state of the conflict and the prospects for peace.

"In light of Türkiye's declaration of readiness to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, the two leaders discussed diplomatic perspectives and reiterated their support for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine," according to a readout issued following their conversation.

Meloni's appreciation for Türkiye’s role in promoting dialogue was also noted in the statement.

"Prime Minister Meloni thanked President Erdoğan for Türkiye’s efforts toward a negotiated solution to end the conflict. She reiterated her expectation that, as Ukraine has done, Russia should also respond positively to the invitation for talks at the highest level and accept a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire that would demonstrate a concrete willingness for peace," it added.

Erdoğan voiced Türkiye's readiness to contribute "in every possible way,” including hosting peace talks, to ensure that the war between Ukraine and Russia ends "with a just and lasting peace," said Türkiye's Communications Directorate on X.

Underlining the "window of opportunity" for achieving peace in the war, now in its fourth year, Erdoğan urged that the "window of opportunity" for achieving peace in the protracted conflict not be missed.

Erdoğan also stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve peace.

The diplomatic push is the latest to end the war that began in early 2022.

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks with Ukraine on Sunday, with support from Türkiye and the U.S..

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed his attendance at negotiations in Türkiye, along with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

UN hails Türkiye's peace efforts

 The U.N. on Tuesday also hailed Türkiye's efforts to reach a lasting peace in the Ukraine-Russia war.

In response to Anadolu Agency's question on the U.N.'s expectations from the new round of Russia-Ukraine peace talks that is expected Thursday in Istanbul, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference that the U.N. "always appreciate the role that Türkiye has played in trying to bring an end to this conflict."

"Our position remains the same, that we want to see an end to the conflict in line with the relevant UN resolutions, in line with international law," he said, adding that the U.N. supports "any and all efforts to that end."

The diplomatic push is the latest to end the war that began in early 2022. The direct talks with Ukraine were proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday and have received support from Türkiye and the US, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirming his attendance.