Ankara will support both the cease-fire as well as comprehensive peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday.
“We are two countries feeling the effects of the war in Ukraine closely. Both Türkiye and Hungary have been supporting dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict. We welcome the side’s steps toward a cease-fire and believe that this process must be supported,” Fidan said during a press conference with his Hungarian counterpart in Ankara, adding Türkiye will continue its efforts toward that goal.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for his part said that Budapest expects the European Union “not to obstruct peace talks with their pro-war policies.”
“It is a good development for our region and humanity that the new U.S. administration is progressing this agenda. We hope for them to achieve a permanent cease-fire as soon as possible,” Fidan added.
“On the other side, discussions on how peace will be created, what the security guarantees are and the peace monitoring is ongoing,” he said further, adding that Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are taking part in meetings discussing these topics.
Unlike some European powers, Türkiye has engaged directly in both military support for Ukraine and diplomatic outreach to Russia.
Türkiye’s Bayraktar TB2 drones played a critical role in Ukraine’s early defense against Russian forces. Ankara has facilitated grain export agreements between Kyiv and Moscow, ensuring global food supply chains remain intact. Moreover, Türkiye has been central to prisoner exchange negotiations, demonstrating its unique ability to maintain dialogue with both sides.
During the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once again underlined that Türkiye fully supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity – a notion aligning with that of Europe as Trump on the other hand argues that Kyiv has to give up on certain territories.
‘Recalibration of compass’
“At the point we reached today, we expect the EU to recalibrate its strategic compass. We believe that Türkiye-EU relations must not be confined to the narrow interests of some members,” Fidan said. “On the other side, it can be seen how critical Ankara-Brussels ties are when the EU’s security is the case. We believe that it is vital for our common interest to plan steps for Europe’s security together with Türkiye.”
“A European security architecture without including Türkiye and Russia is not realistic,” Szijjarto said.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the election of U.S. President Donald Trump have intensified discussions within the EU regarding strategic autonomy and Europe’s capacity to act independently in defense matters. In response to perceived uncertainties in U.S. foreign policy, EU leaders are exploring ways to reduce reliance on external powers and bolster their own defense capabilities. This shift presents an opportunity for Türkiye to become a strategic partner in European defense initiatives.
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