Diplomacy crucial for solution to Ukraine-Russia tensions: Turkish official

Diplomacy is crucial for finding a peaceful solution to the tensions between Ukraine and Russia, a senior Turkish official said Monday. 

Turkiye, a NATO member, has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in an interview with Turkish news channel A Haber.

As such, the role Turkiye continues to play to de-escalate the tensions is very special, he said.

Kalin argued that Moscow’s latest move primarily shows its intention to re-bargain its role in the new world order with the US and NATO rather than occupying Ukraine. Russia recently amassed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its former Soviet neighbor.

Moscow has denied that it is preparing to invade and said its troops are there for exercises.

The Kremlin also issued a list of security demands from the West, including a rolling back of troop deployments to some ex-Soviet states and guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia will not join NATO.

Answering a question on the recent thaw in Turkish-Israeli relations, Kalin asserted that a new era has begun in bilateral relations with the ending of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s 15 years in power.

“We see that the new Israeli government that brings together various factions, including Palestinians, is showing a constructive approach towards Turkiye,” Kalin said, adding Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Turkiye, which is expected to take place in March, would have a positive impact on Turkish-Israeli relations and for Palestinians.

On Feb. 3, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced an upcoming visit of the Israeli president to Turkiye in mid-March.