Turkey is ready to host the Russian-Ukrainian summit, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who received his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.
"We are ready to host a peace summit in which Russia will participate," Erdogan said at a joint press conference with Zelensky.
Erdogan reiterated his "support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of (his) strategic ally, Ukraine."
"Continuing to express our solidarity with Ukraine, we will continue to work to end the war and in favor of a just and negotiated peace," Erdogan said.
Regarding the new mechanism to guarantee the security of trade traffic on the Black Sea, Erdogan confirmed his "intention to reach an agreement between the parties", saying he was ready to provide assistance.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Erdogan has offered himself several times as a mediator in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.
NATO member Turkey has been trying to maintain good relations with both Moscow and Kiev since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.