The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
Oleksandr Senchenko, acting head of the Ukrainian embassy in Armenia with Human Rights Defender of Armenia Anahit Manasyan on Aug. 4, 2023. (Photo: Embassy of Ukraine in Armenia)
The temporary head of Ukraine's diplomatic mission in Armenia, Oleksandr Senchenko, drowned on the evening of Aug. 13 in Lake Sevan, the largest lake in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine confirmed the reports about the charge d'affaires and expressed condolences to his relatives and friends. The ministry said it was "deeply saddened" by the death of the "experienced and highly qualified diplomat."
Senchenko worked for the ministry since 2003 and had been posted to Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Russia and Azerbaijan.
Local media reported that though rescuers were able to retrieve the diplomat from the area of water where he disappeared while swimming, paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Ukraine established its embassy in Armenia in 1996.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
