Erdogan urges Russia to return territories to Ukraine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that Ukraine does not want negotiations with Moscow, and Russia refuses territorial concessions.

He says that in meetings with the Russian president, he urges him to return Crimea to Ukraine, the agency reports.Anadolu”, quoting Erdogan in a PBS interview. He states that he does not lose hope of organizing a meeting between Ukrainian and Russian colleagues, and is convinced that the return of the territories seized by the Russian Federation to Ukraine will facilitate the negotiation process.

However, the Turkish leader hinted that Ukraine is now not in the mood for negotiations, and the Russian Federation wants to end the war as soon as possible, drawing this conclusion after a meeting with Putin in Uzbekistan:

“But here it is important that Ukraine also shows the same understanding as Russia, and from now on it is necessary to be mutually inclined in order to stop this war.”

The Turkish President notes that Russia does not want to make territorial concessions, although “the return of the occupied territories is of particular importance when peace is achieved between Russia and Ukraine”:

“This is what is needed and what is expected. In this matter, Mr. Guterres (UN Secretary General) has taken certain steps. There are steps that we have taken. These steps and this return (of the territories) will really make our work easier.”

Erdogan claims that since 2014, at meetings with Vladimir Putin, he has been urging him to return Crimea to Ukraine:

“We told them that ‘if you take this step, then calm us down, calm Ukraine, calm the Crimean Tatars as well.’ But, unfortunately, no steps have been taken in this direction since then.”

Finishing the interview, Erdogan said that Ukraine and the Russian Federation had reached an agreement on the exchange of 200 prisoners of war: “According to the agreement of the parties, 200 hostages will be exchanged.”

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