Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed that Turkey considers Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty nonnegotiable. His statement comes as Ankara positions itself as a potential mediator in talks involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States, according to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency.

During a joint press conference in Ankara with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Erdoğan emphasized Turkey’s commitment to supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at securing a lasting peace.

“The war, which has caused many innocent deaths and widespread destruction, must end now,” Erdoğan said, stressing that peace benefits all and the world is anticipating a resolution to the conflict.

His comments coincided with high-level talks in Riyadh between Russian and U.S. officials—their first direct discussions since the war began in February 2022. Both sides agreed to continue negotiations on ending the conflict and improving diplomatic relations.