After a meeting with Ukraine's President Zelenskyy and UN Secretary-General Guterres, Turkish President Erdogan speaks on the Türkiye-brokered grain deal, stressing that it has benefitted the whole world.
Türkiye supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, stressing that his country is working to find diplomatic solutions to the deadly conflict between Kiev and Moscow.
Erdogan, who held a trilateral summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UN chief Antonio Guterres in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Thursday, also expressed concerns over fighting near Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
Kiev and Moscow have traded accusations over a series of strikes this month on or near Europe's largest nuclear power plant that is currently under Russian control.
"We do not want to experience a new Chernobyl," Erdogan told the press after the summit.
Erdogan called on the international community to take more responsibility in finding political solution to the fighting in Ukraine.
"While continuing our efforts to find a solution, we remain on the side of our Ukraine friends," Erdogan said.
He also said the exchange of prisoners too was discussed at the Lviv talks. "Türkiye attaches great importance to this issue," he added.
READ MORE: Erdogan, Zelenskyy, Guterres hold trilateral summit in Ukraine
Türkiye's President Erdogan:
- War will eventually end at negotiating table
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) August 18, 2022
- Türkiye temporarily hosting nearly 325,000 Ukrainians
- Exchange of prisoners of war discussed pic.twitter.com/VV8AQDOqkZ
Landmark grain deal
Erdogan also spoke on the resumption of Ukrainian grain export under a Türkiye-brokered deal.
"Not only Ukraine, but the whole world has begun feeling positive effects of historic Istanbul deal to resume Ukrainian grain exports," he said.
Since August 1 — when the first grain ship left Ukraine — some 625,000 tonnes of Ukrainian grain have been delivered to world markets through 25 ships, Erdogan added.
Ankara has coordinated with Moscow and Kiev to open a sea corridor from Ukraine for the grain exports, drawing international praise for its mediator role in a breakthrough that is expected to ease global food shortages.
Türkiye, the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine signed the landmark agreement on July 22 to resume the exports from three Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.
"During our trilateral meeting, we also evaluated the possibilities of transforming the positive atmosphere created by the Istanbul agreement into permanent peace," Erdogan said in Lviv.
UN chief Guterres urged Russia and Ukraine to show a "spirit of compromise" and ensure the continued success of the grain deal.
"From day one, the parties have worked professionally and in good faith to keep the food flowing. I appeal for this to continue and for them to overcome all obstacles in a spirit of compromise and permanently settle all difficulties," he said.
Guterres sought the demilitarisation of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, asking Russia to withdraw military equipment and personnel from the plant while calling for efforts to ensure it did not become the target of military operations.
Earlier in the day, Zelenskyy sought urgent action to ensure the security of the sensitive area in a separate meeting with Guterres.
And later, the Ukrainian president reiterated that Russia must immediately withdraw its troops from Zaporizhzhia nuclear and end what he described as "provocations".
READ MORE: Why is Erdogan’s visit to Ukraine so significant?
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
Source https://www.globalcourant.com/erdogan-stresses-ukraine-diplomacy-warns-against-nuclear-plant-fighting/?feed_id=12660&_unique_id=62fe7e7da90c6
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