Turkey is ready to provide ships to organize the evacuation of civilians and the wounded from Mariupol by sea, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday, Anadolu Agency reported.
“Ankara’s readiness to support the evacuation process was brought to the attention of the Russian military attaché in Turkey, who was invited to our defense department. A similar initiative was transferred to Russian authorities and through the Turkish military attaché in Moscow. We are also coordinating our efforts with Ukrainian authorities through the military attaché in this country,” Akar said.
Akar also noted that Turkey continues to supply humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people.
The Turkish minister announced active contacts with the Russian Federation and Ukraine and on the issue of the safe exit of Turkish ships from Ukrainian ports.
Regarding the mine threat in the Black Sea, the minister noted that at the moment there are no problems for shipping.
Following regular talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced the readiness of the Turkish state to become a guarantor of Ukraine’s security.
“Had another conversation with a real friend of Ukraine, President of Turkey Recep Erdogan. Noted the high level of organization of negotiations of delegations in Istanbul. Agreed on further steps towards peace. Thanked for the readiness of Turkey to become the guarantor of security of our state!” Zelensky tweeted.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, following regular talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced the readiness of the Turkish state to become a guarantor of Ukraine’s security.
“Held regular talks with a real friend of Ukraine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He noted the high level of organization of negotiations between delegations in Istanbul. We agreed on further steps towards peace. Grateful to Turkey for its readiness to become a guarantor of the security of our state!” Zelensky tweeted.
The Russian delegation left Turkey, members of the Ukrainian negotiating group continue their work abroad, said the head of the Servant of the People faction and the head of the Ukrainian delegation at the talks with the Russian Federation, David Arakhamia.
“In particular, on March 30, meetings are scheduled with Turkish officials, during which they will discuss cooperation in the military-technical sphere. After that, representatives of our delegation will return to Ukraine today,” he wrote on the Telegram channel.
ARAKHAMIA, MEETINGS, TURKEY, TURKISH OFFICIALS, UKRAINIAN NEGOTIATING GROUP
Turkey continues to maintain contacts with both Ukraine and Russia, and the primary task of its diplomacy is to achieve a settlement of the situation, the Anadolu agency quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.
“We maintain diplomatic contacts with both sides, discuss all proposals and support all initiatives aimed at establishing peace,” he said at a press conference following the NATO summit in Brussels.
Erdogan noted that Turkey maintains special relations with both countries.
“For this reason, the first task of Turkish diplomacy is to stop hostilities. Peace in Ukraine must be ensured according to a formula that will suit the two countries and the world community. It must be a stable and strong peace,” the Turkish President added.
Polish Ambassador to Ukraine Bartosz Cichocki, Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yağmur Ahmet Güldere and Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas continue to work in Kyiv, the Polish Ambassador to Ukraine said.
“There are also a nuncio and a Turkish ambassador,” Cichocki said on Twitter on Wednesday.
So he responded to the media’s suggestion that he was the only Western ambassador who did not leave Kyiv.
