President Erdogan cuts short Africa trip as Turkey steps up diplomacy over Ukraine crisis
Feb 22, 2022: According to an AFP report, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cut short his trip to Africa, as Turkey stepped up diplomacy over the crisis between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday rejected Western warnings and approved the deployment of troops in support of the two rebel-held territories in eastern Ukraine. Erdogan, who started his tour of Africa on Sunday, visited DR Congo and Senegal, will postpone his trip to Guinea, the presidency said.
Now he is returning to Turkey late on Tuesday.
The Turkish leader, who has friendly relations with both Moscow and Kiev, said Russia’s recognition of Ukraine’s breakaway regions was “unacceptable” and called for compliance with international law in comments made on Tuesday.
Erdogan has presented Turkey as a neutral mediator for a peaceful solution to the crisis, offering to host talks between the two countries’ leaders or technical level in Istanbul or Ankara. While in Senegal, Erdogan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call that “recognizing Putin’s so-called republic” was unacceptable.
He said that Turkey is against any decision for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. He added that diplomatic means should be used to find a solution at the international level.
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