German Chancellor Scholz to visit Turkiye amid Russia-Ukraine war

BERLIN (AA) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will make his first official visit to Turkiye next week, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.

Scholz is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, and talks will focus on bilateral ties, regional issues, and diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to the sources.

Scholz replaced longtime Chancellor Angela Merkel in December and has carried out intensive talks in recent weeks to bring about a diplomatic solution to the conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine.

Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation and led to severe financial sanctions on Moscow.

At least 474 civilians have been killed and 861 injured since the beginning of the war, and over 2.1 million people have fled to neighboring countries, according to UN estimates.