Erdogan says Turkey ready to host Russia-Ukraine peace summit

ISTANBUL, Mar 09 (AFP/Reuters): President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Turkey was ready to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

NATO member Turkey has sought to maintain good relations with its two Black Sea neighbours Moscow and Kyiv throughout the two-year war, with Erdogan pitching himself as a key go-between and possible peace-maker.

"We are ready to host a peace summit where Russia is also present," Erdogan told a press conference in Istanbul, alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

"While we continue our solidarity with Ukraine, we will continue our work to end the war with a just peace on the basis of negotiations," Erdogan said.

The Turkish leader said he and Zelensky had discussed the issues of ports security, navigation safety in the Black Sea, prisoner exchanges and food security, and that they shared the same opinions.

"We are not hopeless," he said. "We believe that there are some opportunities that Turkey can provide with its stance."

And he added that Turkey is "taking these steps because we see a positive approach, we hope that we will get results from them".

Turkey, US discuss

ways to improve ties

Turkish and US officials held comprehensive talks about the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and various bilateral issues during meetings in Washington, Turkey's foreign minister said late on Friday.

The NATO allies started the meetings, dubbed the Strategic Mechanism, on Thursday to discuss efforts to move beyond deep policy disagreements and improve cooperation in other areas.

Ties between the allies have been strained in recent years amid growing disagreements over a range of issues, although relations have since gained momentum following Ankara's approval of Sweden's bid to join NATO.

Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said officials from the countries held several rounds of discussions on topics including Syria, the Ukraine, Gaza, defence industry cooperation, energy, and counterterrorism.

"At the moment, especially given the point we have reached, with a renewed psychology, a more positive agenda, we have the opportunity to continue on our path by turning a new page," he told Turkish media in Washington.

"While managing the problems we face now, it is important to also realise the joint potential the two nations can create and the opportunities they can bring," he said.

Fidan said he reiterated Turkey's view that an immediate and lasting ceasefire was needed in Gaza and emphasised the need for countries to do more to ease the humanitarian catastrophe and pave the way for a two-state solution.

He also discussed ways to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine with US counterpart Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, reiterating that Ankara believed it is time to discuss paths toward an end to the war but that Turkey did not see this willingness from Kyiv and Moscow.