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.
President Volodymyr Zelensky lays flowers honoring the victims of the recent devastating earthquakes in Turkey during his visit to the Turkish embassy in Ukraine on Feb. 11, 2023. (Photo: President’s Office)
President Volodymyr Zelensky laid flowers, wrote condolences, and met with the Turkish ambassador, honoring the victims of the recent devastating earthquakes during his visit to the Turkish embassy in Ukraine on Feb. 11, the President’s Office reported.
“We share the pain of the Turkish people and help in this difficult time,” Zelensky said.
Ukraine sent 80 emergency workers and 16 pieces of engineering equipment to assist Turkey in clearing the rubble, Oleksandr Khorunzhyi, the spokesman of the State Emergency Service, said on Feb. 11. Ukraine also brought in 10 canine units to help find survivors, according to Khorunzhyi.
Zelensky issued a decree on Feb. 7 ordering to send humanitarian aid to Turkey to help “overcome the consequences” of the devastating earthquakes.
Two powerful quakes at magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Feb. 6. The earthquakes have killed at least 24,000 people, CNN reported.
Five Ukrainian citizens could still be trapped under the rubble in Turkey, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Feb. 9. One citizen was hospitalized, according to Nikolenko.
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.
