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."
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference to present the next North Atlantic Council (NAC) Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on April 3, 2023. (KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cautioned China against supplying Russia with lethal weaponry, saying the move would be a "historic mistake with profound implications," Euronews reported on April 5.
"So far, we have not been able to confirm any provision of lethal aid, but this is something that we follow very closely," Stoltenberg told reporters at a press conference in Brussels.
According to Euronews, Stoltenberg repeatedly used the phrase "severe consequences" to describe possible NATO's reaction if Beijing decides to send lethal aid to Moscow. However, he declined to explain what those consequences would look like in practice, saying "there's no reason to go into details."
Following a meeting of NATO foreign affairs ministers, Stoltenberg criticized China for refusing to condemn Russia's war against Ukraine, spreading Moscow's propaganda narratives, and fueling Russia's economy damaged by international sanctions.
U.S. officials sounded the alarm in recent months that China is considering sending lethal aid to Russia for its war against Ukraine, while Beijing has denied the allegations.
Politico reported on March 16 that trade and customs data from between June and December 2022 showed that Chinese companies had exported 1,000 assault rifles and other equipment, such as drone parts and body armor, to Russian entities but that there was no explicit evidence the shipments were intended for Russian troops in Ukraine.
During a visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Russia on March 20-22, the two countries signed a joint statement on deepening partnership and strategic cooperation, which stressed that Russian–Chinese relations are comprehensive, strategic, and "at the highest level in history."
The Institute for the Study of War, a D.C.-based think tank, said that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, however, has been unable to secure the no-limits bilateral partnership with China the two countries declared shortly before Russia's full-scale invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022.
We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
