Dubai, UAE / TEH: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the inhuman images from the Bucha and Erbin regions of Ukraine affected the positive atmosphere of negotiations with Russia.
This came in statements to the Turkish “NTV ” channel, Thursday, in which he indicated that hopes for the negotiations increased after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the continuation of negotiations, and similar statements were issued by the Russian side.
He pointed out that Russia and Ukraine recently exchanged accusations of backing away from the negotiations, adding: “But we are talking with both sides at the same time, as there is a difference between the negative atmosphere that the parties convey to the press and what they tell us.”
And Cavusoglu added, “Therefore, we are neither too pessimistic nor completely optimistic, but realistic, which means that we are continuing our cautious optimism, but we need to continue our efforts for that.”
He explained that the opportunity for a ceasefire was found despite all the difficulties, “but if that happens, it must be in these days, as the possibility of achieving a ceasefire will become more difficult, especially if the war is prolonged, and if new attacks occur in the Donbass region.”
He stressed the need to determine the steps that should be taken after the ceasefire, stressing the continuation of Turkey’s discussions with countries regarding security guarantees for Ukraine.
He expressed his belief that holding a meeting at the level of leaders between President Zelenskyyy and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is not far away, indicating that this is linked to the latter’s approval, which did not express his rejection in principle.
He stressed that Turkey will continue to pursue a balanced and principled policy with Russia, stressing that his country’s participation in sanctions at a time when mediation between the two countries is not realistic.
In another context, Cavusoglu touched on the imposition of restrictions by NATO allies on Turkey, especially in the field of defense industries, following the military operation against the terrorist organization YPG/PKK.
He said: “Now we are slowly witnessing a change, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson made promises in this regard to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as Britain has lifted 85 percent of the restrictions and is working on the remaining 15 percent, and discussions have been held with the Canadian Foreign Minister, and we aim to solve this problem through letters.” reciprocal.”
In response to a question about the stage after the establishment of a strategic mechanism with the United States, he indicated that he will hold a meeting with his American counterpart Anthony Blinken on May 18.
And he added, “What steps should be taken on how to solve problems and areas in which we can increase our cooperation? We want the mechanism to be results-oriented, and every side takes steps in this regard.”
He indicated that he plans to conduct a visit to Palestine and Israel in the third week of May. The Eastern Herald online magazine .
Regarding energy sources in the eastern Mediterranean, Çavuşoğlu said: “There are blocs that exclude Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, but none of them actually make sense, and now our president’s offer to the European Union to organize a conference in the eastern Mediterranean has begun to receive a response.”
He stressed that the EastMed natural gas pipeline project (to transport natural gas to Europe via Greece) is not a project that can be implemented, adding: “Turkey is the most economical way to access European markets.”
