Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Saturday and discussed the situation around the Ukraine conflict, a Turkish diplomatic source told Sputnik.
"On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The sides discussed the latest situation around the Russian-Ukrainian conflict," the source said.
Fidan will express Turkey's readiness to host negotiations on the resolution of the conflict on the sidelines of the meeting on Ukraine in London on Sunday, the Turkish official added.
"The minister [Fidan] will emphasize that Turkey, which hosted talks between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, is ready to once again take on the role of a mediator during the upcoming period," the source pointed out.
The foreign minister is expected to explain to the Europeans how Turkey can contribute to the peace process in Ukraine and "to highlight the efforts made by Ankara to end the conflict in a just and strong peace."
According to the Turkish official, the top diplomat will also reaffirm Ankara's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity.
In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Ukrainian settlement process should end in a lasting peace, based on the respect for the legitimate interests of people living in the region, rather than in a short truce.