Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday held separate telephone conversations with his EU and Indonesian counterparts, the foreign ministry said.
Cavusoglu and EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell discussed regional developments, especially Venezuela and Ukraine.
Turkey is one of the most active countries working to secure a permanent ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. His delicately balanced act of taking on the role of mediator while keeping channels of communication open with both warring parties offers a glimmer of hope for diplomatic efforts to find a solution and bring peace to the Ukraine crisis. Moreover, due to its unique position and friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Turkey has received wide praise for its desire to end the war.
From the very beginning of the conflict, Ankara offered to mediate between the two sides and hold peace talks, emphasizing its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. In addition, while Ankara has opposed international sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow, it has also closed its straits to prevent some Russian ships from passing through.
The country also facilitated a grain deal in cooperation with the United Nations.
The ministry separately reported that Cavusoglu and Retno Marsudi from Indonesia spoke about the latest developments in Afghanistan.
The Turkish government has taken a pragmatic approach to the situation in Afghanistan. Stressing that new realities have emerged in the country, Ankara said it will move forward accordingly while maintaining open communication with all stakeholders.
Turkey has been in regular talks with the Taliban in Kabul, but has also criticized the administration for its discriminatory policies.
The Taliban administration in Afghanistan has banned girls from pursuing higher education due to criticism for a bad record on women’s rights. Despite promising a more lenient regime when they seized power last year, the Taliban have tightened restrictions on every aspect of women’s lives, ignoring international outrage.
