Erdogan wants a Unilateral Ceasefire in Ukraine, Putin Responded

Turkish President Erdogan told Vladimir Putin in a phone call that peace efforts in the Russia-Ukraine war must be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a "vision of a just solution," the presidency's press office in Ankara said on Thursday.

The appeal coincides with the eve of Christmas, which in Russia is celebrated on January 7 according to the Julian calendar. But as early as mid-December, the Kremlin announced that they were not planning any ceasefire during the holidays. On New Year's Day, the shelling of Ukraine with dozens of missiles did not stop for a single moment.

Erdogan and the Russian president have spoken repeatedly since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February. Turkey acts as a mediator together with the UN to conclude a deal allowing the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, Reuters recalls.

"President Erdogan said that calls for peace and negotiations must be supported by a unilateral ceasefire and a vision of a just solution," the text said, adding that Erdogan reminded Putin of the positive results of the grain corridor deal.

The two leaders also discussed Syria, with Erdogan telling Putin that concrete steps must be taken to clear the Syrian border region with Turkey of Kurdish fighters, the text said. "President Erdogan emphasized that concrete steps must now be taken to clear the terrorist organization PKK (PYD/YPG) from Turkey's border regions, especially Tel Rifat and Manbij," the statement said.

According to the Russian version of the conversation, cited by TASS, Putin confirmed that Russia is open to a dialogue on Ukraine if Kyiv fulfills the Kremlin's well-known demands and taking into account the "new territorial realities", as Russia calls the annexation of...