Türkiye voices readiness to facilitate, mediate lasting peace between Ukraine, Russia

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish president, in a phone call on Thursday with his Ukrainian counterpart, expressed readiness to facilitate and mediate the establishment of lasting peace with Russia.

Türkiye is "ready to undertake the task of facilitating and mediating for the establishment of a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a statement by the Turkish Communications Directorate.

The two leaders addressed Türkiye's humanitarian aid and energy support to Ukraine, as well as the developments in the grain corridor, the statement said.

Efforts on the prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv are continuing, Erdogan noted, expressing his country's willingness for diplomatic contribution to expedite the process for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest and one of the world’s 10 biggest nuclear power plants, has been under Russia's control since March last year, soon after the start of the Moscow-Kyiv war on Feb. 24, 2022.

Fears of a nuclear catastrophe persist amid reports of shelling around the area.