Turkey Will Not Join Sanctions Against Russia, Says Cavusoglu

Turkey could not mediate between Moscow and Kyiv if it joined Western anti-Russian sanctions, stated Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.

“We should not expect Turkey to join the restrictions against Russia,” he clarified.

Çavuşoğlu also mentioned that Ankara is ready to become a guarantor of Ukraine's security, but first, it must understand what that role entails.

At the same time, the diplomat noted that Turkey opposes the application of Article 5 of NATO’s charter on collective defense in Ukraine. “The U.S., the U.K., and Canada have rejected it. Sending Turkish soldiers to Ukraine is out of the question,” he emphasized.

A phone conversation also took place between Çavuşoğlu and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, where the two discussed the situation in Ukraine. The Russian diplomat expressed confidence that the outcome of negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv depends on Ukraine's willingness to consider Russia's legitimate demands.