Russia-Ukraine war: US Prez Biden to hold telephonic conversation with Turkey's Erdogan

US President Joe Biden, on Thursday, March 10, will hold a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss the latest development in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to a statement released by the White House, “The president [Biden] will hold a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to discuss the latest developments regarding Russia and Ukraine”, Daily Sabah reported. It said that the call is scheduled to take place at 10:00 am (US time).

As the Russian invasion of its western neighbour entered the third week, more than two million people have already fled the country to escape the bloodshed-- the largest migrant exodus since World War II. Ukrainian military denied any advancement in the past 24 hours on Thursday, except for Russian advances in the cities of Kharkiv and Mykolaiv. Meanwhile, Biden has banned the import of Russian oil, liquefied natural gas, and coal in the US, a move he expects would deprive Russia of economic resources necessary for the war.

Turkey walking a tightrope between Russia and Ukraine 

Since the start of the conflict, Turkey has been walking a diplomatic tightrope between allies Russian and Ukraine. Earlier this week, Ankara shut down the strategic Bosporus Strait to warships of "belligerent countries." It is to mention that  Kyiv had asked Ankara to block Russian warships, but it has taken no firm step till now. Meanwhile, in a telephonic conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow is ready to work closely with constructive forces to find a resolution to the Ukrainian crisis in the interest of peace and stability, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

Last week, Ukraine’s embattled president Volodymyr Zelensky told Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that he was ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Turkish cities of Istanbul or Ankara. The actor turned politician held a telephonic conversation with Erdoğan wherein he reckoned that he was ready to meet Putin in any Turkish city that he wants, according to Turkey’s Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin. Notably, Erdoğan has informed Putin about the offer.

(Image: AP)