President Erdogan supports Ukraine's fight

We support Ukraine's struggle for its territorial integrity, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, calling for conflict resolution through dialogue.

"We see this step (Russian attack on Ukraine – PAP) as contrary to international law and a strong blow to peace and stability in the region," said Erdogan in a speech broadcast on television.

Turkey's President stated that on Thursday, he had a telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenski, in which he "provided Turkey's support in the fight for Ukraine's territorial integrity".

As the AFP agency, Erdogan, before talking to the President of Ukraine, spoke to Putin by phone on Thursday.

Earlier that day, the Turkish authorities in a published message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Russia to "as soon as possible" stop its "unfair and illegal" intervention in Ukraine. The document states that the Russian attack on the neighbour poses a "risk to world and regional security".

The Turkish government has also assured that it is against "any change of borders by military (i) renews its support for Ukraine's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Also on Thursday, Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkey Vasil Bodnar asked Turkey to close under the 1936 Montreux Convention of the Bosfor and Dardanele Straits for Russian ships.

Straits offer the only maritime access to closed within six Black Sea states. Apart from Turkey, Russia and Ukraine, these are Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia.

A NATO member Turkey, which borders both Russia and Ukraine across the Black Sea, maintains good contacts with both countries. Ankara has already warned Moscow about the invasion of Kiev, opposed at the same time to imposing sanctions on Russia.

Source: PAP