Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has stated that Turkey is prepared to play a role in promoting peace and aiding Ukraine’s reconstruction, but did not rule out making “unpleasant decisions” regarding territorial matters.
In an interview with TRT World, Fidan reiterated Turkey’s willingness to assist in the peace process, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire and a long-term peace plan before any concrete actions can be taken.
“But first of all, we need to achieve a ceasefire and establish an effective and long-term peace plan,” he said.
The minister noted that the U.S. administration and European countries are engaged in discussions to shape a ceasefire and peace plan, focusing on how to achieve and sustain it while preventing future conflicts.
“How it can be achieved, how it can be maintained, and how we can prevent another war from breaking out. These are entirely legitimate questions, but balancing the immediate need for a ceasefire with long-term strategic interests is a crucial task right now—and that is exactly what we are working on,” Fidan explained.
However, Fidan acknowledged that there may be difficult decisions ahead, especially concerning Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“In an ideal world, we would like to see Ukraine’s territorial integrity preserved. But right now, there is a war, and unfortunately, as a result, we have to make some unpleasant decisions,” he stated.
The Turkish foreign minister highlighted that current discussions focus on “what can be retained, what can be left behind, and what can be postponed.”
“I think these are some of the key areas that everyone is now very focused on: the Americans, the Europeans, us, the Russians, and the Ukrainians,” he concluded.
