Turkey is ready to act as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, President Tayyip Erdoğan was cited as saying by broadcaster NTV on Monday, despite having angered Moscow by selling armed drones to Kyiv earlier this year amid tensions in eastern Ukraine.
U.S., NATO and Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have massed on the border of Ukraine, which is also battling Moscow-backed separatists who control part of its territory in the east.
Ukraine's military intelligence has said Moscow was preparing for an attack in early 2022. Russia has dismissed the comments as "malicious" U.S. propaganda.
NATO member Turkey has good ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, but opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya. It has forged close energy and defence cooperation with Russia, but has also sold Turkish-made drones to Kyiv, angering Moscow.
Speaking to reporters on a flight from Turkmenistan, Erdoğan was cited as saying by NTV and other media Turkey wanted the Black Sea region to be in peace, adding he was discussing the issue with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin frequently.
"Whether it is as a mediator or speaking to them about the issue, by holding these talks with Ukraine and Mr. Putin, God willing, we want to have a part in the solution of this," he was cited as saying.
Asked about Erdoğan's offer, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment.
Last month, Moscow said the Turkish drones risked having a destabilizing impact in east Ukraine after Kyiv deployed one to hit a position controlled by Russian-backed separatists. Turkey has said it cannot be blamed for Ukraine's use of drones.
Russia-backed separatists have been fighting government troops in Ukraine's Donbass region since 2014, soon after Russia seized the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine.
Turkey has also criticized Moscow's annexation of Crimea and voiced support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Tayyip Erdoğan also said Turkey would take steps to improve ties with estranged rivals Egypt and Israel similar those in recent weeks with the United Arab Emirates, which led to investments, NTV and other broadcasters said.
Ankara and Abu Dhabi signed accords for billions of dollars of investments last week and Erdoğan said they would herald a "new era" in ties.
As part of a charm offensive launched last year, Turkey has also moved to repair ties with Egypt and Saudi Arabia but those talks have yielded little public improvement.
Earlier this month, Erdoğan also held a rare phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett after Turkey's release of a detained Israeli couple.
"They (UAE) put up a $10 billion investment plan. By putting this $10 billion into place, we will have built a very different future," Erdoğan was cited as telling reporters on a flight back from Turkmenistan, adding he would visit the UAE in February.
"Whatever kind of step was taken with the UAE, we will also take similar ones with the others (Israel and Egypt)," he said, in response to a question about ties with Tel Aviv and Cairo.
In addition to all of this Erdoğan said that he will never defend interest rate hikes and "will never compromise on this", broadcaster NTV reported on Monday, in his latest defense of recent rate cuts which have triggered a lira slide.
He was quoted as telling reporters on his flight back from a visit to Turkmenistan that recent exchange rate volatility was not based on economic fundamentals and that Ankara was ready to provide the necessary support to boost investments, namely through state banks.
NTV also reported him as saying he had not changed his view that interest rates cause inflation, adding that he expected inflation to fall before elections scheduled for 2023.
The central bank has slashed its policy rate by 400 basis points since September despite annual inflation of around 20%.
