Türkiye only country to successfully mediate between Russia, Ukraine: Hungary

By Emre Gurkan Abay

MOSCOW (AA) - Türkiye is the only country that has gotten results from its efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, Hungary's foreign minister said on Thursday.

"If we put it in a realistic approach, it is obvious that it has only been Turkey (Türkiye), so far, who was (...) successful when it comes to mediation attempts," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told Anadolu Agency.

Hungary supports the Turkish peace effort amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, including by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, said Szijjarto, who was attending the Russian Energy Week International Forum in Moscow, an event on the prospects of the Russian fuel and energy industry, as well as international cooperation.

He also pointed to a July deal that opened the way for Ukrainian grain exports amid the war with Russia, noting that this initiative prevailed under Turkish mediation.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which paused after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February.

Touching on his meeting with Cavusoglu during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Szijjarto said: "I have asked him (Cavuoglu) to continue the mediation efforts."

"Because, we are living in the neighborhood of the war. We want peace. Peace comes only with negotiations," he added.

Szijjarto expressed hope that talks between Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would also bear fruit and pave the way to peace, adding; "We, Hungarians want peace."