Erdogan: Our common duty is to mark next year's anniversary of peace, not war

This was stated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a video address dedicated to the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

“Just as we made our position clear at the start of the conflict three years ago, we remain determined to do everything possible to end the war through dialogue. At the same time, we continue to firmly support the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” Erdogan said.

The Turkish President emphasized the importance of a diplomatic approach to ending the conflict.

“As we have stated from the very beginning, the path to a just and lasting peace can be found through an equation in which both sides of the conflict are represented on equal and fair terms,” Erdogan added.

Read also: Zelensky outlines five steps to achieve a fair peace this year

The Turkish leader recalled the recent visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Turkey and his ideas on peace talks.

Erdogan stressed: “It is our common duty to mark the anniversary of peace next year, not war.”

“As Türkiye, we will continue to make every effort to achieve a just and lasting peace. With this in mind, I sincerely hope that 2025 will be the year of building peace,” the president concluded.

As reported by Ukrinform, a rally of solidarity with the people of Ukraine was held in Ankara today, timed to coincide with the third anniversary of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. The event was attended by foreign diplomats and military attachés, representatives of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities, journalists and friends of Ukraine from among Turkish citizens.

Photo: AA