Erdoğan calls Zelensky's comments on need for referendum "smart leadership"

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his Ukrainian counterpart's comments on the need for a referendum for compromises with Russia was "smart leadership", broadcaster NTV and others cited him as saying on Friday.

Speaking to reporters on a return flight from a NATO summit in Brussels, Erdoğan also said Turkey could not impose sanctions on Russia due to its energy needs and cooperation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday any compromises agreed with Russia to end the war would need to be voted upon in a referendum.
Erdoğan said he would hold separate calls with Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in the coming days to evaluate the summit.

TURKEY OFFERS TO MEDIATE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT

NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both and has offered to mediate the conflict. While supporting Ukraine and being critical of Russia, Ankara has opposed sanctions on Moscow.

"We are buying nearly half of the natural gas we use from Russia. Separately, we are making our Akkuyy Nuclear Power Plant with Russia. We cannot set these aside," Erdoğan said.

"So there is nothing that can be done here. We must maintain our sensitivity on this issue. Firstly, I can't leave my people in the cold of the winter. Secondly, I cannot halt our industry. We must defend these," he added.

He also said Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were able to agree on four out of the six main issues being discussed during peace talks, but that territorial disputes on the eastern region of Donbass and Crimea remained.

ERDOĞAN TO TELL PUTIN TO BE 'ARCHITECT OF PEACE'

Erdoğan will ask Russian leader Vladimir Putin to be an "architect of peace" and stop the war in Ukraine, Turkish media reported Friday.

Erdoğan said he would telephone Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday and speak to Putin at the weekend or early next week.

"We should tell (Putin) you should be the architect of the step to be taken for peace," Erdoğan said.

"We should look for a way to resolve this issue by telling him 'make an honourable start'", said the Turkish leader, who has held direct talks with Putin.

Turkey hosted the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the southern resort of Antalya this month.

Erdoğan has repeatedly said his country is ready to be a venue for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky.

TURKEY-RUSSIA COULD IMPLEMENT LOCAL CURRENCY IN TOURISM

Turkey and Russia may implement a solution that allows tourism revenues to be paid in local currencies, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was reported as saying by broadcaster NTV on Friday.

In an interview on his way back from a NATO meeting, Erdoğan told reporters that it would be ambitious to expect a serious increase in tourism in Turkey this year.

ERDOĞAN: TURKEY AND ISRAEL CAN WORK ON GAS AMID PUSH TO MEND TIES

Natural gas cooperation is among the most important steps Turkey and Israel can take amid a bid to repair ties and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett could visit Turkey, Erdoğan said in a statement.

Earlier in March, Erdoğan said he believed Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Turkey would be a turning point in long-strained relations between the regional powers, and that Ankara was ready to cooperate in the energy sector.

"In this process, Israeli Prime Minister Bennett may come as well. With his arrival too, there may be a chance to start a new era in Turkey-Israel ties," Erdoğan told reporters on a return flight from a NATO summit in Brussels.

"One of the most important steps we can take together for bilateral ties, I believe, would be natural gas. The details of the cooperation would be discussed later during a visit by his foreign and energy ministers to Israel," he added.

TURKEY'S POSITION ON PROCUREMENT OF RUSSIAN S-400S UNCHANGED

Turkey's position on its acquisition of Russian S-400 missile defence systems is unchanged and the matter is a "done deal", President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was cited as saying on Friday, adding talks with Washington on new F-16 jets and kits were going well.

The United States imposed sanctions on NATO member Turkey's defence industry in December 2020 over the S-400s and expelled Ankara from the F-35 stealth fighter jet programme, where it was a manufacturer and buyer. Ankara says the moves are unjust.

Erdoğan hoped positive talks on purchasing new F-16 jets and modernisation kits from Washington would yield results soon.

He also dismissed reports that U.S. officials had informally raised with Turkey the unlikely possibility of sending the S-400 systems to Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, saying "all they do is cause commotion" in reference to Washington.

Erdoğan said he also discussed the possibility of buying SAMP-T missile defence systems from the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the summit.