Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Zyzhnikov
Turkish media reported that Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiy Ziznikov discussed, on Sunday, the latest developments in the Russian-Ukrainian war.
This came during a telephone conversation between the two ministers, on Sunday evening, according to the official news website TRT Khabar.
The statement indicated that the two sides discussed, during the call, “the issues of evacuating civilians from the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, and the delivery of humanitarian aid.”
The Turkish minister stressed to his Ukrainian counterpart “the importance of declaring a ceasefire as soon as possible, so as not to increase the loss of life and keep humanitarian corridors open for the evacuation of civilians.”
In addition, the Turkish minister reiterated that his country “will continue to play its role in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.”
Turkey, which enjoys good relations with Russia and Ukraine at the same time, throws its weight in order to resolve the crisis between Moscow and Kiev and reach a ceasefire agreement.
Ankara entered the Russian-Ukrainian crisis early, and is moving as part of diplomatic efforts, in an effort to extinguish the fuse of the war that began on February 24.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shimhal called on his country’s partners to impose more sanctions on Russia, “following its crimes showed their true face,” he said.