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.
Residents look at the wreckage of destroyed vehicles following a rocket attack from Gaza in Ashkelon, Israel, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The number of Ukrainian citizens killed in Hamas' attack on Israel has risen to seven, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko reported on Oct. 12.
Nine more Ukrainians were injured, and nine others are considered missing, he added.
Nikolenko said that the Ukrainian embassy is working with Israeli security services to locate those missing.
According to the official, over 1,000 Ukrainian citizens have sought assistance from the embassy in leaving Israel due to canceled flights. Nikolenko said that Ukrainian diplomatic services are preparing a first evacuation flight to Romania on Oct. 14 and are working to secure further flights.
Around 200 Ukrainians have reportedly requested to be evacuated from the Gaza Strip. The Foreign Ministry and embassies in Israel, Egypt, and Jordan are conducting active diplomatic efforts to evacuate Ukrainian citizens as soon as possible, Nikolenko said.
There is a large Ukrainian community in Israel, estimated by the Foreign Ministry as being around 500,000, most of whom left Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Nikolenko said earlier that there are currently 14,000 Ukrainian citizens listed on the consular register of Ukraine's embassy in Israel.
Hamas launched an attack of unprecedented scale on Israel on Oct. 7, infiltrating Israeli territory on the ground and with ultralight aircraft while bombing Israeli settlements.
In response, the Israeli military launched an offensive against Gaza and declared a blockade of the Palestinian enclave.
Alexander Query
