Upon his return from Russia, where he conducted a one-day working visit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan provided insights and answered questions from journalists on the plane.
Turkish leader made the following statements:
"During our meetings with Russian President Putin, we had detailed discussions about our bilateral relations with Russia, as well as regional and global developments. We exchanged views on the upcoming period. Our aim is to continue the growth in our trade volume, which currently stands at 69 billion dollars. Through our joint efforts, our goal is to reach $100 billion.
Our meetings covered all aspects of our economic relations in this direction. We have observed the benefits of inter-institutional dialogue based on mutual respect, both in our bilateral relations and on regional and global levels.
The Black Sea Initiative, which contributes significantly to the fight against the global food crisis, is the best example of this cooperation. Revitalizing this initiative is a priority for the entire world. We are in close contact with the United Nations regarding this matter. As you are aware, we have the United Nations General Assembly this month. There, we will meet with Mr. Guterres again and discuss these issues. I want to emphasize that we appreciate and support the efforts of Mr. Guterres, the Secretary-General.
Thanks to our contributions, the United Nations has prepared a new package of proposals that will pave the way for the revitalization of the Initiative. During his visit to Moscow, my Foreign Minister discussed the technical aspects of this new package with his Russian counterpart, Lavrov. I also had a detailed discussion with Putin about this issue today. I believe we will reach a positive outcome that will meet expectations in a short time.
Türkiye's stance on the ongoing war in Ukraine is clear. Since day one, we have advocated for peace, dialogue, and diplomacy. We have worked diligently to prevent further bloodshed. Rather than exacerbating the problem and adding fuel to the fire, we sought to bring both sides to a common ground. Unfortunately, the war, which has been ongoing for 1.5 years, continues. There is no hopeful prospect of peace on the horizon.
Türkiye remains ready to contribute when requested, as there are no winners in war today, only losers in peace. We will continue our role as a facilitator in matters like prisoner exchange and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Our hope is that this war, which has harmed our two neighbours and our region, will conclude with a just and lasting peace based on international law.
During our meetings in Sochi, we also exchanged views on the latest developments in Syria, the South Caucasus, Libya, and Africa. I hope that our discussions today will benefit our region, particularly Türkiye and Russia."
