Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed confidence , that the war in Ukraine can end quickly if the administration of the newly elected US President Donald Trump shows a clear will and intention for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, Turkish media reports. Erdogan made these comments to journalists on his plane on the way back from a visit to Hungary, quoted by BTA.
"Efforts by some Western countries, led by the United States, to end the war in Ukraine will accelerate the resolution of this conflict," Erdogan stressed. He noted that Turkey has always chosen the side of peace and has maintained neutrality, maintaining contact with both sides of the conflict.
However, according to the Turkish leader, the West has not shown the same confidence that the problem can be solved through diplomatic efforts. "If we see that the US administration under Trump is ready for a diplomatic approach, we can easily end this war," he stated. Erdogan added that "more guns, more bombs and more chaos will not end this war," emphasizing the need for political solutions.
Turkey has already managed to bring the parties to the negotiating table and, according to Erdogan, the country will continue to work towards peace. "This war must end now," he added.
Erdoğan also commented on the future of the Organization of Turkic States, stating that there are currently no plans to create joint armed forces. Instead, the organization has focused on a civil defense mechanism that aims to strengthen security cooperation and coordination in the event of natural disasters and emergencies.