President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Jan. 5, discussing Ukraine's peace formula, defense cooperation, and security in the Black Sea, among other topics, the Presidential Office reported.
Zelensky invited Turkey to the fourth peace formula meeting to be held in late January in Davos, Switzerland, and "received a positive response," he wrote on Telegram.
Previously, such meetings were held in Copenhagen, Jeddah, and Malta to build support for a 10-point peace plan drafted by Zelensky.
The 10-point peace plan calls for an end to ecocide in Ukraine, punishing those responsible for war crimes, withdrawing all Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine, restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, and the release of all prisoners of war and deportees. The proposals also call for ensuring energy security, food security, and nuclear safety.
Zelensky and Erdogan reportedly paid special attention in their call to the peace formula's point about the return of all prisoners and deportees.
"The mediation of Turkey is crucial so that it is possible to release the Crimean Tatars and all others - adults and children, soldiers and civilians - who are held in Russian captivity," Zelensky added.
Over 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home from Russian captivity on Jan. 3 in the largest exchange since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
The two leaders agreed to strengthen the Ukrainian-Turkish cooperation in the high-tech sphere, in particular, the creation of joint defense enterprises and joint production of military equipment, according to the Presidential Office.
Zelensky welcomed the efforts of Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania in joint clearance of mines in the Black Sea, saying Ukraine was ready to join them.
Hundreds of sea mines, deployed by both Russia and Ukraine, are spread throughout the Black Sea. On several occasions, civilian ships or navy ships belonging to countries not party to the war have struck sea mines since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Dominic Culverwell
(Updated: )
