– The local elections scheduled for March 31 will be my last, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, according to official Turkish media.
This can be interpreted to mean that the Turkish President will not run for re-election after the end of his presidential term.
Erdogan has been president of Türkiye for more than two decades. He was re-elected for a new five-year term last year.
A “peace conference” will be held
Erdogan also announced on Friday that Turkey is ready to host what he refers to as a “peace conference” between Russia and Ukraine.
As reported by Reuters on Friday evening.
This came during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.
Erdogan stressed that Turkey is also ready to contribute strongly to the reconstruction of Ukraine when the war ends.
The Ukrainian war and possible paths towards peace were on the agenda of the talks between the two presidents. The previous agreement guaranteeing the export of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea was also discussed.
He visited the shipyards
Before the meeting, Zelensky visited a Turkish shipyard where two ships for the Ukrainian Navy are being built.
Turkey, a member of NATO, is trying to maintain good relations with both Ukraine and Russia. Erdogan offered to mediate the conflict, and the country played an important role in negotiating the grain agreement that was valid for a year from July 2022.
President Vladimir Putin is expected to head to Turkey after the Russian elections, which will be held on March 17.
(Dagbladet/NTB)
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