Erdogan tells Putin ‘ready to take initative’ on Ukraine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Thursday that Ankara was capable to do more to end the war situation in Ukraine after helping arrange a Russian-US prisoner swap.

Erdogan’s official stated that Putin “thanked” the Turkish leader on a  phone call for help, to put together Wednesday’s exchange of ex-Marine Trevor Reed for the former Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko.

The switch took place in Turkey “under the coordination and supervision of the National Intelligence Organisation,” Erdogan’s office stated in connection with Turkey’s MIT intelligence carrier.

Ankara was now “ready to take the initiative to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and to mediate a path to peace”.

The Kremlin confirmed that Putin “expressed his gratitude to the Turkish leader” for helping set up the historic swap of the 30-year-old Texan for the 53-year-old Russian.

Reed was jailed in Russia in 2020 and sentenced to nine years in prison for allegedly attacking police officers while drunk.

Yaroshenko has been serving a 20-year sentence since 2011 after being convicted of drug smuggling.

Turkey’s role in the swap highlights the NATO member’s ability to maintain an open dialogue with Moscow in the heat of the Ukraine crisis.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Wednesday also said Washington was “grateful to Turkey for its role in making (Trevor’s) safe return possible”.

Turkey hosted a meeting between Moscow and Kyiv negotiators in Istanbul and another between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Antalya last month.

Erdogan is now trying to pave the way for an Istanbul summit between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

He said to Putin on Thursday that Turkey desired “to set up a long-lasting peace inside the vicinity as quickly as viable via growing the momentum won within the Istanbul talks,” his office said.

The Kremlin stated most effectively that Putin and Erdogan agreed to keep “future contacts”.