Winter will halt but not end Russia-Ukraine war: Former French president

Former French President Francois Hollande said Saturday that winter would halt activities in the Russia-Ukraine war but not bring them to an end.

Hollande told the Uludag Economy Summit that he wonders if new conditions are possible in the spring.

"Will (Vladimir) Putin want to get out of his international isolation or will he do something else on the contrary?" he asked. "I expected an attempt, either directly or indirectly, after the first Ukraine war in 2014. That is, to place Ukraine under Russian domination. The war, which is supposed to span a few weeks, will instead endure several months. Because even the fundamentals have not been established in order for a discussion to begin. It will take a long time to get going.”

Türkiye has advantage because of its geographic location

Hollande said there will always be trade in the world and the will of many countries is to continue trade.

He pointed out that activities are now shifting to areas closer to places of consumption and noted that Türkiye had an advantage because of its geographical location.

"There are numerous activities available in Türkiye. The majority of these activities have already been carried out in Asia or other nations. Europe faces a massive challenge in this scenario. There is both unity and change," he said.

"We underestimated the planning of the gathering in Prague. To be able to face all of the difficulties ahead, Europe needs a broad framework and diverse geography, such as a common currency. Turkey should consider the situation from this angle because its future lies in Europe," added Hollande.