Turkish president reiterated Wednesday that he is ready to host the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to “pave the way for re-establishing peace” as tensions between the two countries show little sign of diminishing, AzVision.az reports citing the Turkish media.
"Turkey wants tensions between Russia and Ukraine to be resolved before they turn into a new crisis," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a televised interview.
"I hope that Russia will not resort to an armed attack and occupation of Ukraine," he said.
Such a move, he said, could not be "rational" for Russia and the region, stressing Turkiye’s desire for regional peace and stability.
Erdogan also announced that he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Turkiye, but the date is yet to be set.
He meanwhile reiterated Turkey's "clear" commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Russia recently amassed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine’s eastern border, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its former Soviet neighbor.
Moscow has denied that it is preparing to invade and said its troops are there for exercises. It has also issued a list of security demands, including that Ukraine not join NATO.
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