ISTANBUL

Ankara is doing its utmost to help secure a just and lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, the Turkish president said Sunday in a meeting with the Italian prime minister on the sidelines of the G20 leaders’ summit in South Africa.

In a meeting with Giorgia Meloni, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that reviving the Istanbul peace talks could also open the door to peace, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.

He also emphasized the importance of maintaining the ceasefire in Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to the region, saying that the formula for lasting peace lies in a two-state solution, and that Türkiye making efforts in this regard.

During the meeting, Erdogan also underlined the importance of advancing cooperation between Türkiye and Italy with the Libyan government.

Erdogan said that steps taken to advance cooperation between Ankara and Rome, particularly in the defense industry, would continue.