Erdogan, Putin did not discuss Ukraine war, Kremlin says
(Update 1: changes headline, lede, adds details)
Astana, Oct 13 (EFE).- Russian president Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, did not mention the war in Ukraine during their fourth meeting this year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.
The issue “wasn’t touched upon at all,” Peskov told reporters after the bilateral meeting that lasted for an hour and a half in the Kazakh capital Astana.
Both leaders, however, discussed the issues Russia is facing in exporting fertilizers to developing countries through Turkey, according to Erdogan.
Erdogan said he wants to strengthen a grain deal agreed between Russia and Ukraine earlier this year by expanding it to include exporting fertilizers too.
Putin also proposed Turkey become a hub for exporting Russian gas to third parties, Peskov said.
Ahead of the the bilateral meeting, Erdogan said that Turkey’s goal was to help achieve a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine “as soon as possible” despite obstacles on the battlefield.
“Our goal is to continue the momentum gained despite the difficulties in the field and to stop the bloodshed as soon as possible,” he said in an address to the summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia.
“We are all closely experiencing the effects of the crisis in Ukraine on a regional and global scale. I always say that a just peace can be established with diplomacy,” he told 20 regional leaders, including Russian president Vladimir Putin, in the Kazakh capital Astana.
Turkey, a Nato member, has taken a mediating position between Ukraine and Russia since the invasion began in late February.
Turkish local media has recently reported that Turkey was ready to organize talks between Russia, the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, a plan that has already been submitted to Washington.EFE
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