Turkish foreign minister discusses Ukraine, Syria, Gaza with top European officials

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Monday discussed the latest situation in Ukraine, Syria, and Gaza with top European officials in phone calls, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas discussed the current situation in Syria and Ukraine, the sources said.

Separately, Fidan and his Dutch counterpart Caspar Veldkamp discussed the latest developments in Syria, as well as the latest situation in Gaza.

The call underlined the importance of implementing an inclusive transition process in Syria.

Fidan also decried the negative impact of Tel Aviv’s actions in the Golan Heights, which violate international law, on the process in post-Assad Syria.

During the call, the two also discussed potential steps to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.

Over 14 months of Israeli bombardment and assaults on the Gaza Strip have resulted in over 45,000 Palestinians being killed, according to official Palestinian statistics. The UN estimates that some 70% of the dead are women and children.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) last month issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on Gaza.