Erdogan calls for caution in Ukraine conflict to prevent NATO involvement

(Patria) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that all steps that would worsen the war in Ukraine and potentially expand the conflict to NATO must be avoided, adding that he will host Russian President Vladimir Putin after the elections later this month, Reuters reported.

NATO member Turkey supports Ukraine's territorial integrity but also maintains cordial relations with Russia and regularly communicates with both sides in the conflict. Turkey has provided military and political support to Ukraine, but also opposes sanctions against Moscow.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner with foreign ambassadors in Ankara, Erdogan said Ankara will continue to work to revive the defunct Black Sea grain deal brokered between Moscow and Kyiv with the United Nations.

"While we have voiced our support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, we have already said that peace plans that exclude Russia will not yield any results," Erdogan said, referring to a planned Ukrainian peace summit in Switzerland later this year, which Russia will not attend.

"We are working to re-establish the security of navigation in the Black Sea and to ensure that grain trade can be carried out safely. We believe that steps that would escalate conflicts in the region, which would also expand to NATO, must be avoided," he added.

Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron said Western allies should not rule out deploying troops to Ukraine, but most allies and the NATO chief distanced themselves from the idea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Istanbul last week, and Erdogan offered to host a peace summit between Ukraine and Russia. He said on Tuesday that Putin will visit Turkey after the elections later this month, without further explanation. The Kremlin had previously said Putin's visit to Turkey would be after the Russian elections from March 15-17. Turks will also go to the polls for local elections on March 31.

Turkey hosted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in 2022, but has since complained that no diplomatic steps have been taken to advance these talks. It has repeatedly offered to host further talks, saying a leaders' summit is needed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the parties must start considering
ceasefire negotiations, but that this should not mean recognizing Russian occupation.