Türkiye’s UN envoy calls for urgent action to prevent Ukraine conflict escalation

Türkiye’s envoy to the United Nations on Monday called for urgent measures to prevent further escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, warning of its potentially devastating global repercussions.

Ahmet Yildiz, addressing a UN Security Council session on Ukraine, emphasized the unsustainable nature of the ongoing war. “The highly attritional nature of the conflict remains unsustainable for all parties involved,” Yildiz stated.

He pointed to the mounting toll of the war, which he said has caused “profound suffering on millions in Ukraine and beyond.” Yildiz also highlighted the significant risk of uncontrolled escalation, cautioning that such a trend “might reach an unmanageable level with severe regional and global repercussions.”

“The world cannot afford a prolonged war in Ukraine,” he stressed. “That’s why we need to focus our efforts on finding a workable, pragmatic and realistic plan to achieve peace to avoid a global catastrophe.”

Yildiz outlined Türkiye’s three-pronged policy toward the conflict: a commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, support for peace initiatives, and efforts to mitigate the broader consequences of the war.

“Despite the risks involved, there is still no strategic vision on how to end this war,” he said, noting that both sides remain focused on military outcomes.

The Turkish envoy underscored the importance of direct dialogue and mutual understanding in achieving peace, suggesting that issues like food and energy security, maritime safety in the Black Sea, and prisoner exchanges could serve as starting points for negotiations.

Yildiz reaffirmed Türkiye’s willingness to act as a mediator in the conflict. “Türkiye is prepared to play a facilitating role again when the sides are ready,” he said, referencing Türkiye’s previous efforts to broker agreements in the region.

He urged the international community to act swiftly, saying, “The time has come to identify common ground and establish the most needed peace in Ukraine.”