Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday proposed hosting a summit with the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and the United States, saying Türkiye could become a “center of peace” amid ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said his “greatest wish” was to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy together in Istanbul or the capital. He added he would “even like to bring [former U.S. President Donald] Trump along,” as Russian and Ukrainian delegations held a second round of talks in Istanbul.
“It was a magnificent meeting,” Erdogan said of the latest negotiations. “This time, the number of prisoners exchanged exceeded 1,000. In addition, the remains of some soldiers were returned outside of that exchange. These are very large numbers. We are truly proud.”
He said if such a summit were to take place in Türkiye, he would also attend and work toward turning Istanbul into a venue for peace.
Erdogan praised Monday’s talks as a “significant achievement,” despite an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on Russian airfields on Sunday that reportedly targeted more than 40 aircraft, including strategic bombers such as the A-50, Tu-95 and Tu-22M3.
Türkiye, a NATO member, has maintained a neutral position since the war began in February 2022 and has hosted multiple rounds of talks between Moscow and Kyiv. Erdogan reiterated that Türkiye opposes war and is committed to achieving a “sustainable peace accepted by both sides.”
“Türkiye is a country that has earned everyone’s trust through its fair stance,” he said.
Erdogan also addressed developments in Syria, welcoming recent moves by European countries to lift sanctions and expressing optimism over the country’s return to stability.
“As Syria achieves peace and stability, all its neighbors and the region will benefit,” he said, citing growing support from countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia following the December 8 revolution.
“We will continue to support the Syrian people and government, our neighbors and brothers, with all our resources,” Erdogan said.
He announced that Turkish carrier AJet has begun regular flights to Syria, and that Syrian Airlines would soon resume flights to Türkiye.