President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Dec. 12 on the sidelines of a peace forum in Turkmenistan's capital to discuss the war in Ukraine, regional developments and international affairs.
There was a thorough exchange of views on Ukrainian affairs, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters after the talks.
The meeting in Ashgabat involved delegations from both countries. Erdoğan last spoke with Putin during a phone call on Nov. 24, where they discussed bilateral relations and the Ukraine conflict.
Türkiye has previously hosted talks between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul and is keen to host another round as part of ongoing efforts to revive stalled peace negotiations. The U.S. has been pressing for a breakthrough in potential peace talks.
Erdoğan’s recent phone call with Putin followed a Nov. 19 meeting in Ankara with Volodymyr Zelensky, marking the Ukrainian president's third visit to Türkiye in 2025.
In his address at the forum, Erdoğan said Türkiye is trying every possible means to help ensure peace and dialogue amid rising global instability, urging stronger international cooperation.
“At a time of increasing uncertainty, conflict and fragility on a global scale, we need to shoulder responsibility to establish international dialogue, cooperation, trust and peace,” he said.
The gathering marked the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality and the U.N.’s designation of 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust.
Erdoğan said Türkiye is acting with “an awareness of the responsibility that our history, geography and civilization have placed upon us,” and is working “with all our might to ensure that peace and dialogue prevail.”
“Peace is only possible with justice, trust only with mutual respect, and stability only with dialogue and cooperation,” he said.
The president said Türkiye aims to build a “belt of peace and security” in its region by strengthening ties with neighboring countries, while positioning itself as a leading mediator with what he described as a “fair, impartial and trustworthy” approach.
Turning to global conflicts, Erdoğan expressed hope that the war between Russia and Ukraine would end soon.
“We are ready to provide concrete support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at a ceasefire and peace.”
He called the crisis in Gaza “one of the most brutal massacres of the last century,” saying Türkiye's immediate priorities are securing a lasting ceasefire and delivering humanitarian aid.
"The ongoing ceasefire, despite Israel’s violations, is fragile. Therefore, strong support from the international community for the process is essential and must continue," he said.
"We consider it imperative that Palestinians are included in and contribute to all stages of establishing peace."
He reiterated Türkiye's long-standing position that a two-state solution is the only viable path forward. “The formula for this is recorded in the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, in their honorable struggle, and in international agreements. The time has come for the international community to pay its debt to the Palestinian people,” he added.
