Erdogan says Turkey ready to mediate lasting peace in Ukraine

Erdogan says Turkey ready to mediate lasting peace in Ukraine
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Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday expressed readiness to facilitate and mediate the establishment of lasting peace with Russia

After holding a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkey’s President Tayypi Erdogan called his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymr Zelenskyy to repeat Turkey’s willingness to mediate between the countries for a lasting peace, after Putin ordered Russian troops to cease fire from midday on Friday in response to a call for a Christmas truce from the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, while Zelenskyy rejected the ceasefire and called it a trick.

Turkey is "ready to undertake the task of facilitating and mediating for the establishment of a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to a statement by the president’s office.

The two leaders addressed Turkey’s humanitarian aid and energy support to Ukraine, as well as the developments in the grain corridor, the statement said.

Efforts on the prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv are continuing, Erdogan noted, expressing his country's willingness for diplomatic contribution to expedite the process for the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Meanwhile, a truce by Russian President for 36-hour marking the Orthodox Christmas holiday was rejected by Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed the Russian move as playing for time to regroup its invasion forces and prepare additional attacks.