Türkiye will continue efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday, expressing his intention to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“As Türkiye, we are doing everything we can to pave the way for peace between Russia and Ukraine, and we will continue to do so. Following our meeting with (Ukrainian) President Zelenskyy, we now want to address the Russian side of the matter by holding a meeting with President Putin,” Erdogan said on his return flight from South Korea.
He reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to pursuing peace efforts to end the ongoing conflict.
Regarding relations with Azerbaijan, Erdogan said he planned to visit the country on Nov. 8 to mark Victory Day.
“We will have the opportunity to take the necessary steps during this visit,” he said.
He said he had already held phone talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and sent his intelligence chief and foreign minister to Azerbaijan.
Erdogan said phone diplomacy had also continued with Aliyev and between their spouses.
He described the relationship between Türkiye and Azerbaijan as an “unbreakable bond rooted in their common history and destiny,” saying their ties extend far beyond conventional diplomatic relations.
“There is no obstacle that the brotherhood between Türkiye and Azerbaijan cannot overcome,” he said.
About the US midterm election results, Erdogan said Ankara would maintain “close dialogue” with the US administration, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
“It is too early to draw firm conclusions about the impact of the US midterm election results on Türkiye-US relations and the Middle East,” he said.
Regarding the ongoing Terror-Free Türkiye process, Erdogan said efforts were proceeding within the legal framework.
He stressed the need to complete full disarmament and verification processes before moving to the next stage.