Türkiye supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity while maintaining relations with Russia – expert

Professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University and Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Administrative, and Social Sciences, Mitat Çelikpala, stated this in a comment to Ukrinform.

"Türkiye's position is clear — it aligns with the 'Western' stance. Ukraine’s territorial integrity should be preserved without occupation, including Crimea and other territories. Therefore, Türkiye takes a certain pro-Ukrainian position in this regard. However, Türkiye differs from other Western players. It seeks to maintain its relations with Russia as intact and functional. This is the neutral side of its policy," the professor explained.

According to him, Türkiye does not "close the Russian door" due to its Black Sea neighborhood and economic ties with Russia. He emphasized that this position of "active neutrality" should be used to help end the war.

When asked about the possibility of Türkiye hosting peace negotiations, the expert noted that the location itself is not as important as reaching agreements.

"The place is not that important. The key issue is the negotiation process itself and how to control the Russians. It is not easy for Russians and Ukrainians to negotiate. You know the Russians, and they know you. So, reaching agreements is the most crucial aspect, while the venue does not matter… The main goal is to reach an agreement," Çelikpala emphasized.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had stated that Turkey would be an ideal place for negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war.