Erdogan says Russia must leave occupied territory in Ukraine to end war

“If peace is to be achieved in Ukraine, of course, the return of the occupied lands will be very important. This is expected. This is what is desired. Putin took some stepsIn an interview with PBS television channel, Erdogan added that “the occupied territories should be returned to Ukraine”.

Erdogan also confirmed Turkey has been discussing the return of the Crimean peninsula with Russia since 2014, Having a significant population of Tatar minority. We ask Putin to return Crimea to its owners,” he said, but acknowledged that “unfortunately no further steps have been taken”.

Likewise, the Turkish president pointed out. “there’s a conflict that causes victims” and “people die and when it’s all over no one will be a winner.” Therefore, he stressed that “Russia’s stance will be very, very important” when it comes to reaching a peace agreement.

“I met with Putin in Uzbekistan and had extensive talks with him. It shows me that he wants to end this as soon as possible. That was my impression, because what happened is quite problematic,” he said, before stating that 200 POWs could be exchanged soon.

The Turkish president also stated this. “No leader will later admit that it was a mistake.” “No one will say they made a mistake. The same goes for Ukraine,” he said, before emphasizing that “leaders have a hard time turning back once they’ve taken a road.”

On the other hand, he reiterated “no invasion can be justified” and showed support for the United Nations to investigate allegations of atrocities allegedly committed by Russian forces. Including the discovery of mass graves and “torture chambers” in the city of Izium, located in the Kharkov region (east), Ukraine.

“With the activities of the UN, these discussions should be shed light. If this does not happen, it is difficult to explain these issues as the leader of a country, to make an explanation, because it will take us forward. It is a position where a balanced foreign policy cannot be followed. We cannot position ourselves and it would not be right for us to do so.”

“If a (UN) investigation comes to such a conclusion (about the commission of atrocities), Putin will react. “Before he argued that Turkey had “extensive” talks with Putin, Zelensky and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, it’s not fair to see Putin as a completely different person because he puts his country’s interests first.

Erdogan also pointed out that “not only Ukrainians died in the war” and pointed out that: “There are many casualties on the Russian side”, Before I mention that, even though Moscow did start the war, “a lot of things happened” before it even started, without getting to the point.

Accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO

In another vein The Turkish president has accused Sweden of being a “cradle of terror” because of Stockholm’s alleged support for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). “Terrorists have infiltrated their parliaments. In Stockholm we see how terrorists show themselves all the time,” he said.

“They show. They shout slogans and Attack innocent Turkish descendants in Stockholm. We gave all the evidence about these events to our Swedish interlocutors,” he said. “Finland is not like Sweden. “They’re a little more calm and have more control over things,” he argued.

In this sense, Erdogan criticized Sweden for “always using certain reasons” and “certain excuses”, Including “constantly talking about the Constitution”. “They value freedom of expression as a fundamental principle of the Constitution. On the other hand, I say terrorism has nothing to do with freedom of expression,” he said.

At the end of July, Turkey signed a tripartite agreement with Sweden and Finland that lifted Ankara’s veto on Helsinki and Stockholm’s accession to the Atlantic Alliance, but Turkish authorities have since claimed they can once again block the EU. access when requirements are not met.