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."
Klaus Iohannis, Romania's president, speaks during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Russian drones are not intentionally targeting Romania, but the situation is still "unacceptable," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said.
"Of course, Russia does not directly attack Romania, but if these drone fragments end up falling on Romanian territory, then it is a real problem," Iohannis said in comments at the World Leaders Forum in New York on Sept. 21.
The remarks, reported by the Romanian news agency News.Ro, were part of a larger discussion about Russia's targeting of grain exports.
Iohannis categorized these attacks on civilian infrastructure as war crimes.
Russia escalated its attacks against Ukrainian ports following its unilateral termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in an attempt to destroy Ukraine's ability to export agricultural products.
Earlier in September, the impact of these attacks began to spill over the border and into Romanian territory.
Iohannis previously denied that any Russian drones had crossed into Romanian territory but then summoned the Russian ambassador to Romania in mid-September after more drone fragments were found.
Despite Russia's claims that it does not intend to attack Romania, Iohannis acknowledged the Romanian residents who live near the Danube River and border with Ukraine "are scared."
He also emphasized that in addition to the fear the strikes have caused, they also have made some Romanians think that, "if we sit and do nothing, maybe this will also happen to us."It was previously reported that Romanian authorities will construct shelters in the Danube River area near the Ukrainian border in response to the war's spillover into Romanian territory.
Martin Fornusek
