Peace in Ukraine would mean a security agreement not only between Ukraine and Russia, but also between Europe and Russia. Turkey is ready to assume responsibility for the security component in the Black Sea.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said this at a press conference on Thursday, January 15, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“The peace that will be achieved will not be peace only between Russia and Ukraine. In essence, it will also be peace between Europe and Russia,” he said.
Fidan critically assessed the change in the role of the United States in the Russia-Ukraine war from a leading one to a neutral stance, as well as Washington’s historical role and responsibility for European security.
“When we look at the situation, European security is very seriously linked to Ukraine’s security. As for concluding a peace agreement, three military dimensions stand out: monitoring and verification of the agreement, support for Ukraine’s deterrence capabilities, and measures that must be taken in the event of violations,” he said.
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Fidan stressed Turkey’s readiness to take responsibility for the naval security component.
“The Black Sea is a strategic region for Turkey as the largest NATO member state. Turkey is ready to take responsibility for coordinating naval forces, and this task is assigned to Turkey in the current plans,” he added.
He also noted that in 2026 efforts to end the war will focus on bridging the gap between an ideal and a realistic solution, while discussions within the framework of the European security architecture will remain one of the main items on the agenda in the long term.
As Ukrinform previously reported, following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that the end of the war and the establishment of a lasting peace were quite close. Turkey has also outlined the conditions under which it would deploy a military contingent to Ukraine.
Photo: AA