Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik called Thursday for an immediate end to the Russia-Ukraine war and a return to negotiations in Istanbul, warning that the conflict has become a grinding war of attrition with mounting risks for the Black Sea region, APA reports.
Speaking at a news conference, Çelik said neither side had achieved a development capable of fundamentally changing the course of the war, while both Russia and Ukraine continued to inflict heavy losses on each other through tactical gains.
“War is bad in every respect,” Çelik said, pointing first to the loss of human life and warning of the possibility that the conflict could spread across a wider region. He also cited debates within NATO and the European Union over the war and concerns about the potential use of increasingly advanced weapons.
Çelik particularly condemned attacks on Turkish-operated civilian vessels in the Black Sea, saying eight had been targeted by Russia and 35 by Ukraine since the conflict began. Türkiye continues to convey its warnings and closely monitor the situation at the highest level, he added.
“This cycle must end as soon as possible, and a table must be set up in Istanbul so that a conclusion can finally be reached,” Çelik said.
Turning to Türkiye’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, Çelik said authorities were continuing their work on disarmament and maintaining intensive contacts with Iraqi counterparts. He stressed that developments inside Türkiye and across the wider region were closely interconnected, making cooperation with neighboring governments essential.
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