Altun stresses Türkiye's efforts to mediate in Russia-Ukraine conflict

Talks in Istanbul still stand as the most important opportunity for the international community to achieve a ceasefire and establish peace in Ukraine, Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Director has said.

Fahrettin Altun attended on Tuesday a conference titled “Russia-Ukraine War and its Effects on Türkiye: Threats and Opportunities“ held at the Bestepe Exhibition Hall of the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara.

Speaking at the opening session of the conference, Altun said: “Türkiye has earned the trust of both Russia and Ukraine with its facilitating role in the ongoing negotiation process.”

Türkiye has shown that it cannot be forced to choose between the two countries, Altun stressed.

He urged everyone to support the negotiation process in Istanbul, a demand also voiced by Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Altun also praised Türkiye’s initiative to hold talks at the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

On March 10, Türkiye made headlines worldwide for hosting Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the southern Turkish city of Antalya, the highest-level meeting of the two sides since the conflict began on February 24.

And late last month, the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul hosted landmark peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations.

READ MORE: Türkiye to 'tirelessly' continue mediating Ukraine-Russia conflict: Altun

Geopolitical influence

“Recently, all international actors have seen Türkiye's specific weight and influence in the international arena,” Altun noted.

The approaches put forward in the Western capitals to despise Türkiye, and the geopolitical readings and order established on that basis have collapsed, said the senior Turkish official.

He added that the current situation obliges the West to adopt a new form of relationship with his country.

“While Türkiye condemned the rights violations in Ukraine, it also rejected the criminalisation of Russian cuisine, culture, and academia to ensure peace and stability in the region,” Altun added.

He highlighted that what is going on in Ukraine is the result of lack of strategic vision and indifference put forward by Western countries during the Syrian crisis.

“If Western countries could have intervened in the tragedies that took place in Syria in the real sense, we would not be talking about the Ukrainian war today,” said Altun.

Many international norms have been violated and even the use of chemical weapons has been ignored in Syria, according to Altun.

He also criticised the double standard against Syrian refugees, saying: “You can't talk about universal principles and human rights standards if you don't open your door to all people regardless of their religion and ethnicity.”

“As virtuous as it is to embrace millions of people fleeing from Ukraine, it is equally unscrupulous to leave Syrians refugees for dead,” Altun said.

READ MORE: Understanding Turkish diplomacy in conflict settings