Trump Seeks Erdogans Support to Negotiate Peace in Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Monday that he aims to collaborate with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to put an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, following a telephone conversation between the two leaders.

Trump shared on his Truth Social platform that Erdogan has extended an invitation for him to travel to Turkey, and that the Turkish president plans to meet him in Washington.

«I am eager to work with President Erdogan to promptly resolve the absurd yet lethal conflict between Russia and Ukraine,» Trump wrote.

Trump, who promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours of beginning his second term in January, has been advocating for a ceasefire agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

As a NATO member, Turkey has endeavored to maintain constructive relations with both of its neighbors by the Black Sea since the onset of the Russian invasion and has facilitated talks on two occasions aimed at ceasing hostilities.

In their conversation, the two leaders also covered a range of topics including Syria and Gaza, with Trump describing the call as a «very good and productive exchange» with Erdogan.

Trump emphasized that he had an «excellent» rapport with Erdogan during his presidency from 2017 to 2021.

The Turkish president’s office reported that Erdogan informed Trump that U.S. initiatives to ease sanctions on Syria would «aid» in stabilizing the war-impacted nation.

Washington has indicated that any move towards normalization or lifting of sanctions post-Bashar al-Assad’s December ouster will rely on measurable advancements made by Syria’s new leadership concerning priority issues, including counter-terrorism efforts.

Erdogan also expressed gratitude to Trump for his «commitment to ending wars,» referencing the situations in Ukraine, Gaza, and discussions regarding Iran.

He addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, urging that aid should «reach Gaza continuously without interruption.»

Since March, Israel has suspended all assistance to the 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza, and its security cabinet has approved further military actions, including plans for the «conquest» of the Palestinian territory.

Next week, Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.