'Land 'invaded' by Russia amid ongoing Ukraine war will be returned,' proclaims Erdogan

President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a private meeting with Russian President Vlimir Putin on September 16 during ongoing SCO summit in Samarkand. two leers h an extensive discussion majorly focusing on ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.  

According to Erdogan’s claims, Putin h expressed to him that Russia was willing to end war in Ukraine “as soon as possible." Erdogan furr stated that Russia must return all Ukrainian land occupied by it.   

"If peace is going to be established in Ukraine, of course, returning land that was inved will become really important. This is what is expected," Erdogan said during an interview with PBS while assuring that lands which were occupied by Russia “will be returned to Ukraine”. 

Turkey's significant efforts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine  

Turkey has been actively engaged in trying to mediate normalization of relations between Ukraine and Russia. After successfully establishing Black Sea Grain Initiative in collaboration with United Nations to alleviate emerging global food grain shortages, Turkey has revealed that it was now working to broker a deal between Russia and Ukraine to release 200 prisoners of war (POWs) of raging conflict.  

“200 hostages will be exchanged upon an agreement between parties. I think a significant step will be taken forward,” said Erdogan in PBS interview.  

Erdogan furr revealed that he h asked Putin to return Crimea to its “rightful owners” while maintaining opinion that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine's territory could not be justified.  

President of Turkey also informed that he was comprehensively in communication with both Putin and Zelenskyy to help establish a peaceful conclusion to conflict while reiterating that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was holding talks with all parties involved.  

Erdogan suggests right way forward

Signifying need to bring conflict to an end as soon as possible, Erdogan has stated that mediating parties should focus on trying to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia inste of taking sides in conflict. “We cannot hold sides. We cannot take sides. And it wouldn't be right for us to do that,” he said while stressing on UN’s importance in leing initiative to usher peace.  Secretary-General of UN h earlier stated that organization is rey to facilitate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in order to find a peaceful resolution to Russia-Ukraine war under UN Charter.