Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday December 24 that the war in Ukraine “
does not seem ready to end easily
”.
"
It would not be wrong to say that despite all our goodwill and call for a ceasefire, the war is likely to continue in 2023
," said the minister, whose country, a member of the NATO has positioned itself as a neutral player and mediator in the conflict between its two neighbors bordering the Black Sea.
“
This war does not seem ready to end easily
,” he conceded during a press briefing in Ankara, referring to Western aid to Kiev and the determination shown by Moscow.
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Turkey has helped reach an agreement with the United Nations on the export of Ukrainian grain from Ukrainian ports, has already hosted a meeting between the heads of Russian and Ukrainian diplomacy at the start of the war in March, as well as negotiations between the two belligerents in Istanbul.
“
We call for a ceasefire, at least a humanitarian ceasefire.
Then a permanent ceasefire and then peace talks
,” the minister added.