Turkey likely to not impose sanctions on Russia to maintain channel for dialogue

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters day 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's spokesperson informed that Turkey is not planning to impose sanctions on Russia, and wants to maintain dialogue instead. It is important to note that NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) member Turkey has been mediating between Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict. 

This comes a day after United States President Joe Biden held a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Erdogan to discuss their shared concern about Russia’s “unprovoked” invasion of Ukraine and reaffirmed their support to the Ukrainian President Zelenksyy administration as well as Ukrainians battling to protect the sovereignty of their country.

On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan had also held a telephonic conversation where Putin had stressed that Kyiv must cease fighting and fulfil all of Moscow’s demands in order for the Russian invasion to stop. A few days ago, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had confirmed his plan to attend a diplomacy forum in Antalya next week, according to Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The diplomacy forum will take place on March 11-13. World leaders, scholars, media and experts have also been invited.

Zelenskyy ready to talk to Putin

Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s deputy has said that the Ukrainian President is ready to talk to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin directly. Speaking to an international news network, Igor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that even though talks between the Ukrainian and Russian foreign minister, held on Thursday in the Turkish city of Antalya, did not yield any major breakthroughs, Ukraine had not been too hopeful from the beginning.  He also went on to say that President Zelenskyy is ready to directly speak with Putin, but he “will not make any compromise to the Russian position during these negotiations”.

Image: AP