Turkey's leader offers to host Ukraine-Russia peace summit

He cites giving of utmost contribution’ for war to end on basis of negotiations

Turkey is ready to host a summit between Ukraine and Russia to end the war, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on March 8, after talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.

In a meeting lasting about an hour, Mr Erdogan and Mr Zelensky discussed developments in Ukraine's efforts to fight off Russian invasion, shipping security in the Black Sea, including the defunct grain deal, and defence industry cooperation, according to the two sides.

Nato member Turkey supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, but also maintains cordial ties with Russia, and regularly speaks with both sides in the conflict, notably as a sponsor of the Black Sea deal that lifted a de facto Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain exports.

"We discussed developments about the war in detail today, I stated our observations with all my sincerity," Mr Erdogan said at a press conference alongside Mr Zelensky, whose trip comes before an expected visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin following elections in Russia on March 15-17.