Erdoğan hopes Russia responds ‘constructively’ to Ukraine ceasefire

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday that he hoped Moscow would “respond constructively” to a US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which Kyiv has accepted, Agence France-Presse reported.

“We consider Ukraine’s acceptance of a ceasefire as positive and important. We now hope Russia will respond constructively,” Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

“Turkey’s attitude towards this war has been very clear since the first day. We do not want any more bloodshed, and we hope that our two neighbors end the war by a just peace.”

Tusk said he hoped Ankara would play an important role in promoting peace.

“I made a clear proposal to President Erdogan: that Turkey assumes the greatest possible responsibility in the peace process, in ensuring stability and security throughout our region,” he said.

Erdoğan again proposed that Turkey host any peace talks “if the latest developments bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table.”

Before leaving Warsaw, Tusk said it was “very important that NATO and European countries simultaneously and effectively guarantee the stability … of the Russian-Ukraine border” after any truce was signed.

“Turkey’s role could be crucial in this respect,” he added.

The proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine came at talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday between Ukrainian and US officials, after more than three years of war.

Russia said was waiting to be officially informed of the ceasefire proposal by the United States, now that relations between the two countries have improved.