Ankara: Time to Start Dialogue Between Moscow, Kyiv on Ceasefire

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Sunday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov (Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Sunday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov (Reuters)
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Ankara: Time to Start Dialogue Between Moscow, Kyiv on Ceasefire

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Sunday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov (Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met on Sunday with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov (Reuters)

Türkiye says it is now time to start a dialogue between Moscow and Kyiv for a ceasefire, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday in the southern city of Antalya.

Fidan met his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Friday on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. He told reporters he had discussed a number of issues with Lavrov, including Ukraine.

“On the issue of Ukraine, our view is that both sides have reached the limits of what they can get by war. We think that it is time to start a dialogue for a ceasefire,”Fidan said.

The foreign minister added that opening up ceasefire talks “doesn't mean recognizing the occupation (by Russia), but issues of sovereignty and ceasefire should be discussed separately.”

NATO member Türkiye, which shares a maritime border with both Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has sought to maintain good ties with both nations since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

Ankara has provided military support for Ukraine and voiced support for its territorial integrity, but also opposes sanctions on Russia.

Fidan’s meeting with Lavrov came shortly before a trip to Washington to meet his American counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The meeting will be held within the framework of the Türkiye-US Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, held on March 7 and 8. It comes as Moscow signaled its readiness to hold talks with Washington.

In 2022, Türkiye hosted unofficial peace talks between Russia and Ukraine at the second diplomatic forum in the Turkish city of Antalya. The talks has not yielded any positive results.

Last month, Türkiye’s President Tayyip Erdogan expressed his ongoing willingness to mediate between Russia and Ukraine for a “fair” peace between the two countries.

“We have brought the parties together in Türkiye on multiple occasions. We can do this again and open the door to peace through a solution-focused process management, free from external influences,” Erdogan said.

“In our meetings with both President (Vladimir) Putin and President (Volodymyr) Zelenskiy, we continue our efforts in this pursuit,” he added.



Taiwan Will 'Not Provoke Confrontation' with China, Vice President Says

Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim makes a speech at a briefing for foreign media in Taipei, Taiwan July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim makes a speech at a briefing for foreign media in Taipei, Taiwan July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
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Taiwan Will 'Not Provoke Confrontation' with China, Vice President Says

Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim makes a speech at a briefing for foreign media in Taipei, Taiwan July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
Taiwan's Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim makes a speech at a briefing for foreign media in Taipei, Taiwan July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang

Taiwan will not provoke a confrontation with China, the self-ruled island’s vice president said Friday, lamenting Beijing’s “aggressive military posturing” against the island democracy that China claims as its own.

“We do not seek conflict. We will not provoke confrontation,” said Bi-khim Hsiao, adding that her government has urged Beijing to communicate “with parity and respect.”

Hsiao, who has served under Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te since their election win last year, said her government has seen “a dramatic uptick in provocative and proactive CCP efforts to infiltrate, sabotage and divide our society," referring to the Chinese Communist Party, The AP news reported.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly threatened to annex it, by force if necessary. In recent years, Beijing has ramped up its military intimidation of the island, sending jets and ships nearby almost daily.

China refuses to speak with Hsiao and Lai and has labeled them “diehard ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists,” a designation for which it has threatened the death penalty.

In a notable attempt of alleged intimidation by Beijing, Czech intelligence officials last month said Chinese diplomats planned to stage a car crash during Hsiao's 2024 visit to the country. No crash occurred, but a Chinese official ran a red light while following Hsiao’s car.

Speaking at the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents' Club in Taipei, Hsiao said she has experienced “varying degrees of pressure and threats” over the years, including sanctions by China.

“But I will not let that intimidate me or stop me from voicing my views or from voicing the views of the people of Taiwan, and we will continue to be active in the international community,” she said.

Regarding recurring US intelligence reports that China may be planning to invade Taiwan before 2027, Hsiao said her government is focused on preempting that.

“Everything we are doing right now is to prevent such a conflict from happening — not just in 2027, but ever,” she said.

Taiwan is “very urgently investing in our self-defense capabilities” in order to deter “any miscalculation and any attempt at disrupting the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” she added.

Taiwan on Friday wrapped up annual military drills, which simulated defenses against a possible invasion by China. The drills included fortifying ports and possible Chinese landing points on the island, as well as civil defense exercises.

Taiwan sources most of its weapons from the United States, which is bound by its own laws to provide the island with the means to defend itself.

Like most countries, the US does not recognize Taiwan as country, but acts as its main unofficial ally. Washington supports preserving the status quo in Taipei’s relationship with Beijing, which means neither side should make a move toward independence or annexation, respectively.

Taiwan’s relationship with the US is “very important” and has historically held through different administrations while garnering bipartisan congressional support, Hsiao said.

Trade negotiators from the two sides are working “around the clock” to reach a deal that would pre-empt tariffs of 32% on all Taiwanese goods from coming into effect Aug. 1, she said. Washington lowered tariffs on Taiwanese goods to 10% for 90 days to allow for the trade talks.

The tariffs are part of duties President Donald Trump levied against nearly all US trading partners beginning in April, accusing them of running large trade surpluses.