ANKARA (Reuters) – War in Ukraine could end easily if the U.S. administration under Donald Trump takes a solution-based approach, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Friday.
“We can easily end this war if we see a Trump administration that approaches the issue with a solution-based perspective. More dialogue, diplomacy, agreement will open the door to peace, not weapons, bombs and conflict,” Erdogan said.
He added in an in-flight interview with reporters on his way back from Budapest that efforts by Western countries, led by the United States, to end war in Ukraine would accelerate a solution to the conflict.
Trump said during campaigning that he could bring peace in Ukraine within 24 hours if elected, but has given few details on how he would seek to end the biggest land war in Europe since World War Two.
The administration of President Joe Biden has given strong support to Ukraine throughout the war in the form of significant heavy weaponry, as well as broad security and financial assistance.
While supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity, condemning its invasion by Russia, and providing it with military support, NATO member Turkey has also opposed Western sanctions on Russia, with which it has important relations in defence, energy and tourism.
Since March, Turkey has been calling for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and offering to mediate, saying the negative impact of the conflict on the world needs to be mitigated.
“We are a country that has managed to bring both sides together around the same table. We have done this many times and can do it again. This war must end now. We have focused our efforts on peace and will continue to do so,” Erdogan said.
(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Daren Butler)
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