Turkey urges Russia to end Ukraine attack

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu asked Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to end the military operation in Ukraine during a phone call on Feb. 26, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

Ankara has repeatedly called the Russian invasion of Ukraine "unacceptable".

Çavuşoğlu told Lavrov that further escalation of military tensions would not benefit anyone, the source, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

Turkey had offered to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv.

He also reiterated Turkey’s "readiness to host negotiations that could take place between the Russian Federation and Ukraine," according to the source.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also offered his condolences over the loss of lives in the Russian attack and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded, during a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, the source said.

Erdoğan said Turkey was trying to work towards the declaration of an immediate ceasefire "to prevent further loss of life and prevent further damage to Ukraine," the Turkish presidency said.