Erdoğan calls on Russia, Ukraine to return to talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has spoken over phone on Feb. 23 amid Ukraine crisis. 

Turkey is ready to do its part to calm tensions in Ukraine, Erdoğan told Puti,n according to a statement by the communications directorate. 

Elevating the issue to a more complex level and military confrontation will not benefit any party, Erdoğan also said.

The president also reiterated that Turkey does not recognize Russian steps against Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Previously, Turkey has expressed hope for Russia and Ukraine to return to the negotiation table amid a growing crisis between the two countries as Erdoğan has informed that he will seek to establish contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin following an online meeting of NATO leaders.

"Our wish is that Russia and Ukraine, both our neighbors from the Black Sea, return to the negotiations as soon as possible," Erdoğan told journalists on his return from Senegal early Feb. 23.

Erdoğan recalled he had talked to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier about the recent escalation on the Russian-Ukraine border following Moscow's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.

"I have underlined [to Zelensky] that we will never accept any attempt to violate the Minsk Agreement. I have also told that we are ready to do our share in order to avoid further escalation and solve the problem through dialogue," Erdoğan said.

NATO leaders will meet at an online emergency meeting on how the alliance would respond to the Russian violation of international law and defying Ukraine's sovereignty.

NATO should decide on Ukraine

Erdoğan...

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