Erdogan speaks to Putin; expresses readiness to host talks between Russia, UN & Ukraine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a telephonic conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on May 30. During the phone call, the two leaders discussed the ties between Turkey and Russia and regional issues, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war. Erdogan called for measures needed to reduce the impact of war and develop trust by restoring ground for peace between the two warring nations. 

"President Erdogan noted the need for steps that would minimise the negative effects of the war and build trust by restoring as soon as possible the ground for peace between Russia and Ukraine,"  the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey said in the statement.

During the telephonic conversation, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed Ankara's willingness to assume a role in a possible observation mechanism if Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations agree to hold a meeting in Istanbul, according to the statement released by the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey. The two leaders discussed issues of ensuring safe navigation in the Black and Azov seas and removing mine threats in their water. In the telephonic conversation, Putin expressed the willingness of Russia for maritime transit of goods in cooperation with Turkish partners and the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, according to the statement released by Kremlin.

"President Erdogan stated Turkey's readiness, if agreed upon in principle by both parties, to meet with Russia, Ukraine and the United Nations in Istanbul, and to assume a role in a possible observation mechanism,"  the Presidency of the Republic of Turkey said in the statement.

Russia's President Putin noted that Russia can export an adequate amount of fertilisers and agricultural products if sanctions imposed against Moscow are lifted. He accused Western nations of causing problems in the global food market due to their "short-sighted financial and economic policies," according to the statement released by Kremlin. It is pertinent to mention here that the last face-to-face talks between the delegation of Russia and Ukraine took place in Istanbul on March 29. Putin and Erdogan exchanged views on bilateral ties, mainly focussing on trade and economic matters. 

Erdogan and Putin discuss bilateral ties 

The two leaders noted an increase in mutual trade turnover and discussed the recent visit of the Russian delegation headed by the co-chairman of the Russian-Turkish intergovernmental commission, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak to Turkey. In the telephonic conversation, both sides agreed to enhance bilateral relations in the fields of energy, transport and tourism. In addition, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke about the attacks of "PKK/YPG terrorist organizations" in Syria against Turkish and Syrian civilians. In his telephonic conversation with Putin, Erdogan said that the terror-free zone that had been stated in the Memorandum of Understanding of October 2019 has not been established. 

Image: AP, Twitter/RTE_Erdogan