Türkiye, UK, Italy vow support on Ukraine's territorial integrity

Italian Defence Minister Lorenzo Guerini and British defence chief Ben Wallace have met for a tripartite meeting that was hosted by the head of Turkish defence Hulusi Akar.

"In addition to defence and security issues between our countries, we had the opportunity to exchange views on the latest developments in the world and in our region, through cooperation with the defence industry and military education," Akar said at a news conference in Istanbul after Friday's meeting.

He said the group agreed that it would “continue to openly express our support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”

Akar noted that within the framework of the latest developments in Ukraine, the ministers have also revealed in the meetings that there is a need for a cease-fire as soon as possible so that there are no more casualties, civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation does not further deteriorate.

"While we continue to work with Italy and the UK within the framework of our bilateral relations, we had the opportunity to emphasize that, as NATO member countries, solidarity, close cooperation and coordination within the framework of NATO is also important during these meetings," he said.