Türkiye stresses key role in European security at Paris talks on Ukraine

Türkiye, as a NATO member and EU membership candidate, remains an inseparable part of the ongoing efforts to ensure peace and security, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said following talks in Paris regarding the war in Ukraine.

Yilmaz, who represented President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the summit, emphasized that the meeting was crucial not only for Ukraine but also for “the security and future of Europe.”

He stressed that the talks reaffirmed Türkiye’s importance in European security and reiterated Ankara’s support for the U.S.-backed ceasefire initiative in the Ukraine war.

“However, what is essential is a more permanent and comprehensive ceasefire rather than partial and temporary agreements,” Yilmaz said.

Highlighting Türkiye’s advocacy for a diplomatic resolution in the Ukraine-Russia war, Yilmaz expressed hope that the ceasefire would lead to lasting peace.

He pointed to Türkiye’s pivotal role in the Grain Corridor Agreement and prisoner exchange process and noted that President Erdogan has maintained “very good” dialogues with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Yilmaz underscored Türkiye’s constructive involvement in peace processes, calling the Paris meeting productive.

“Ankara will continue to closely follow this process,” he said. “We have made clear how we view these conflicts and our approach to solutions.”

While acknowledging that not all details had been agreed upon, Yilmaz concluded, “A common emphasis was made at the summit that Europe’s security must be ensured together.”