Nations should talk Russia out of war in Ukraine: Turkey

Doha: Turkey said on Sunday that all nations, along with itself, must talk Russia out of the war into Ukraine and added that Ukraine needs more support in resistance, Reuters reported.

Turkey is a NATO member but has good relations with Russia as well as Ukraine and therefore expressed its readiness to mediate the conflict between the latter two.

Referring to the sanctions imposed on Moscow, TurKey's presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin told Doha international forum that if everybody "burns bridges" with Russia, who is going to talk to it. Also, Ukrainians must be provided all the support they need to defend themselves.

When Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy requested the West to give him country tanks, planes and missiles, the West induced severe economic sanctions on Moscow after Russia started its invasion.

Turkey stated that the Russian invasion was not acceptable, but it opposed the West's sanctions and has not joined them. Turkey relies heavily on Russian energy, trade and tourism. It is already under immense pressure due to the currency crisis that happened last December. On top of this, thousands of Russians have entered Turkey after the sanctions burdened on Moscow.

Further, certain Russian companies are shifting their base to Turkey, Ahmet Burak Daglioglu, head of Turkey's investment office, told the Doha forum. When asked about Turkey doing any business benefiting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Daglioglu said that Turkey is not targeting, chasing, pursuing any investment or capital that has a "question mark" on it.