Erdoğan conducted intense diplomacy traffic with world leaders, particularly President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in order to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end.

Erdoğan, who first chaired the security summit attended by several ministers and staff at the Presidential Complex following Russia's attack on Ukrainian territory on February 24, spoke by phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.

Erdoğan, who spoke by phone with Zelensky on February 26 and March 4 as well, made an effort to declare a cease-fire during the talks in order to avoid further loss of life and harm to Ukraine.

Erdoğan, who also spoke by phone with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on March 6, stated that Türkiye was ready to make all kinds of contributions for the Ukraine issue to be resolved by peaceful means as soon as possible.

Underlining that an urgent general cease-fire would not only alleviate humanitarian concerns in the region but also open up space for a political solution, Erdoğan said, "Let's pave the way for peace together."

Intense phone diplomacy

Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, who held the first round of negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, President Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, President Gitanas Nauseda of Lithuania, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia, President Maia Sandu of Moldova, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel.

Furthermore, Erdoğan exchanged views on the Russia-Ukraine war with President Vjosa Osmani of Kosovo and President Isaac Herzog of Israel, whom he hosted in Ankara. President Erdoğan met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at a working dinner the previous day at the Çankaya Mansion, and the two leaders discussed the steps that could be taken to put an end to the war.

Talks with Biden

On the same day, speaking with US President Joe Biden over the phone, Erdoğan stated that it is crucial for Türkiye to assume a facilitating role in the search for a solution in case the crisis worsens.

Erdoğan highlighted during his conversation with Biden that even convening the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine Foreign Ministers Meeting in Antalya is a diplomatic accomplishment in and of itself.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that Erdoğan and Biden had a "constructive" conversation, and that Biden was very pleased with Türkiye's diplomatic initiative.

Antalya Diplomacy Forum

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the "Antalya Diplomacy Forum" held at the NEST Congress Center, Erdoğan said that the first high-level talks between Russia and Ukraine in Türkiye show that the Antalya Diplomacy Forum has begun to accomplish its mission.

Erdoğan continued his meetings with the world leaders at the two-day Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

The forum's primary agenda items were efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict as well as regional and bilateral ties.

As part of the forum, President Erdoğan held talks yesterday with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Slovenian President Borut Pahor and Kazakhstan's Founding President Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Today, Erdoğan met with Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government (IKRG) President Nechirvan Barzani, Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential Council Members Šefik Džaferović and Milorad Dodik, Liberian President George Manneh Weah.

Erdoğan will continue his talks in this vein with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to be welcomed in İstanbul tomorrow, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who will pay a visit to Ankara on Monday. (ILKHA)