War in Ukraine: President Erdogan tries to mediate between Zelensky and Putin
The Turkish president who is trying to play a role of mediator between Russia and Ukraine reported progress in the negotiations between the two belligerents and evokes a "consensus" on four points.
AFP - VLADIMIR SMIRNOV
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The Turkish president, who is trying to play a mediating role between Russia and Ukraine, has announced progress in the negotiations between the two belligerents.
In an interview with Turkish journalists after the NATO summit, in which he participated on Thursday March 25, Recep Tayyip Erdogan evokes a “consensus” in four out of six areas.
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With our correspondent in Istanbul
,
Anne Andlauer
The Turkish president believes that the negotiations are progressing, but remain blocked on two subjects.
According to the formula used by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kiev and Moscow "
seem to have reached a consensus
" on four points.
First on the renunciation of
Ukraine
to integrate NATO then the recognition of Russian as an "
official language
", the "
demilitarization
" of Ukraine - a Russian demand on which Kiev would be ready to certain "
concessions
", in the absence of complete disarmament – and finally, a “
collective security
” agreement for Ukraine, of which Turkey could moreover be one of the guarantors.
No consensus on Crimea and Donbass
Conversely, Kiev and Moscow would not yet be able to agree on the status of
Crimea
and
Donbass
, where Vladimir Putin demands recognition of Russian "
sovereignty
".
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that any compromise over these territories would have to be ratified by Ukrainians in a referendum.
The Turkish head of state is due to meet this Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and then again by telephone with his Russian counterpart this weekend or early next week.
He will invite him, he says, to be a “
peacemaker
” and to “
make an honorable gesture
”, using here a term which can also be understood as a call on the Russian president to “
honourably leave
” Ukraine. .
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To read also: The UN votes a new resolution which "demands" the "immediate" end of the war in Ukraine
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Turkey
Ukraine
Russia
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Volodymyr Zelensky
Vladimir Poutine