The organization affirmed that Ankara will contribute in any way to the peace process, however criticized the United States sanctions for not favoring an end to the conflict.

Turkish stance follows the third round of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations held on July 23 in Istanbul, where the parties agreed to exchange military and civilian prisoners.

Russia proposed creating three virtual working groups to address political, military, and humanitarian issues, in addition to returning 3,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.

The parties must implement the new agreements before convening a fourth round of talks, Russian mediator Vladimir Medinski said after the last meeting.

Analysts highlight Turkiye’s active role as a neutral mediator, despite its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and point to its success in the 2022 grain agreement.

Turkiye seeks to consolidate its position as an independent global player, an international relations expert at Istanbul University told PL.

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