Türkiye is ready to contribute to peace between Russia and Ukraine, the Turkish foreign minister said on Monday.

Addressing a joint news conference with his visiting Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara, Hakan Fidan said the issue of security guarantees is closely followed by Türkiye.

Fidan emphasized that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been working from the start to bring the three-year-long war to an end.

“Security guarantees and other issues raised in the recent talks between the US and Russia are matters we are closely monitoring. In principle, Türkiye is ready to take every step that will contribute to peace,” Fidan said.

About the US initiative aimed at ending the war through negotiations, the Turkish foreign minister said: “This situation aligns with the policy we have been following since the beginning of the war. We attach great importance to the new US initiative as a results-oriented approach. We believe that a solution can be reached through negotiations in which both sides participate."

“In this context, we are ready to provide every support for the establishment of peace through negotiations," Fidan said, adding that Türkiye is ready to host such talks.

He added that Ankara will continue its efforts to ensure navigation safety in the Black Sea, adding: “If implemented, this step will be an important confidence-building measure.”

Fidan said increasing consultations and coordination between Ankara and Moscow would be beneficial in a time when global and regional dynamics are rapidly changing.

He added that both countries aim to deepen cooperation on bilateral and international issues in line with the objectives signaled by President Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.  

Syria

The Turkish minister said he and Lavrov also discussed developments in Syria, where a new administration is in charge after the fall of the Assad regime in December.

“We are fully convinced that Syria’s territorial integrity and unity must be preserved," he said, adding that both Türkiye and Russia share a similar view on putting an end to separatist movements in the war-torn country.

There can be no tolerance for terrorist organizations taking root in Syria, he added.   

Gaza

Fidan stressed that the ceasefire in Gaza must become permanent and that all phases should be fully implemented. "We are deeply concerned about the possibility of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu restarting the war. A new genocide must never be allowed," he said.

He warned that Israel must end its actions targeting the West Bank, describing efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians from their lands as "unacceptable," noting that such initiatives are doomed to fail.

Highlighting that regional countries have taken a common stance on this issue, Fidan welcomed Russia’s support against the displacement of Palestinians.

"It is essential for the international community to take a resolute stance to end the ongoing Israeli aggression in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria,” Fidan said, pointing out that lasting peace and security in the Middle East can only be achieved through such measures.  

Türkiye's BRICS policy

Emphasizing that Türkiye is "a sovereign country" that places great importance on international economic cooperation, Fidan said: "In today's world, it seems unlikely that countries without strong foundations for economic cooperation can withstand crises and achieve their development goals. For this reason, Türkiye attaches great importance to economic cooperation, primarily with the EU."

On Türkiye's EU membership process, the foreign minister said: "Although it has not been explicitly stated in recent years, the EU’s membership negotiations have stalled due to its discomfort—stemming from its identity politics—in incorporating a large Muslim country."

Despite these challenges, Ankara continues to maintain balanced trade relations with European countries, he said, adding: "However, we are also paying close attention to other global economic cooperation platforms."

He said Türkiye had clearly shown interest in joining the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, but "as far as we understand the organization has currently frozen the admission of new members" in order to consolidate its institutionalization. 

"They have introduced a new category — a partnership. In other words, no membership offer has been extended to us," Fidan said.

He assessed BRICS as "quite encompassing" compared to the EU.  

Netanyahu’s government, its allies using events for Israel's expansionism

Responding to a question about Netanyahu’s comments regarding maintaining a presence in Syria's Mount Hermon, and the occupied Golan Heights, Fidan said Türkiye envisions a region where "Palestinians and Israelis both have their own states, the entire region lives in peace, and no one covets another’s sovereignty, land, life, or property."

He recalled that since the onset of the Gaza crisis he has said that the two-state solution had become an important alternative than ever before, and regional countries were ready to support it.

However, what we are observing now is that Netanyahu’s government and its allies are using events to advance Israel's expansionism, he added.

He emphasized that Israel is pursuing a strategy to create instability and weakness in neighboring countries — Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.