US Praises Türkiye's Role In Russia-Ukraine

Washington on Thursday praised Türkiye's efforts to bring about an end to Putin's 'barbaric war' in Ukrainee, as the State Department's spokesperson Ned Price described it, TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports.

"Throughout this conflict, Türkiye has attempted to use its relations with Ukraine and with Russia in addition to its positioning as a member of NATO and its good relations with the international community to further the prospects for peace," Price said during a daily press briefing when asked by TURAN what side he thought Ankara was on.

"Türkiye is – has been a constructive player in this. It has been a constructive player in attempting to foster dialogue, meaningful diplomacy," Price said.

Prices comments came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday urged Putin to declare a unilateral ceasefire to advance peace talks in Ukraine,

In a phone call with the Kremlin leader, Erdoğan cited the “positive results” of negotiations over prisoner exchanges, efforts to protect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

It was notably the first time the Turkish leader has called on the Kremlin to suspend fighting without a Ukrainian commitment to do the same.

Price said, "of course, it is President Putin that will need to heed calls from President Erdogan and numerous other counterparts around the world to end the senseless war. We’ve said time and again – and this gets back to your colleague’s question – that actions ultimately will speak louder than words. We are going to judge what Russia does based on its action."

He went on to add, "No one wants this war to end more than the Ukrainians, and the fact is that Russia remains the sole obstacle to peace in Ukraine, and President Putin time and again has demonstrated that he has absolutely no meaningful intent in genuine diplomacy."

Separately, TURAN's correspondent also reports that the State Department will now use "Türkiye" in most of its public communications. The Turkish Embassy requested the United States use the spelling, and the change was approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, according to Ned Price.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.