Russia-Ukraine war at ‘closest point to stopping’: Turkish foreign minister

ANKARA/ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that the Russia-Ukraine war has reached “its closest point to stopping,” stressing that the conflict has turned into a costly war of attrition for all involved.

In a live broadcast on Turkish news channel A Haber, Fidan said European leaders also want the conflict to end, and the conflict has reached “its darkest moment,” with both sides focused on destroying each other’s transportation and energy infrastructure.

“They continue hitting conventional military targets, but that front is deadlocked. The war has effectively shifted into a drone battle,” he added.

Pointing out that the situation has become increasingly exhausting for Moscow and Kyiv, he said conditions for a ceasefire are in place and diplomatic efforts are ongoing.

-'It has turned into a war of attrition'

Fidan underlined that the conflict must end. “It has turned into a war of attrition. Neither side is actually gaining much. On the contrary, both have inflicted enormous destruction on one another,” said Fidan.

He noted that while Europe is not directly involved with troops, it is deeply engaged through financial and military support, and “the cost is mounting.”

Fidan added that imposing a blockade on Russia, by stopping energy purchases and halting trade, ultimately deprives Europe of what a major power like Russia provides. “This comes with a cost. And that cost is producing political consequences for governments,” he said.

Noting that several European governments have changed since the war began, Fidan said rising defense spending will force additional budget cuts, creating mounting political and economic pressures that he warned are not “sustainable.”

“There is now a massive cost problem. The human cost and the broader political costs are no longer manageable or bearable,” he said.

Regarding prospects for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, he said Türkiye "believe(s) a peace table will be formed ... whether in Türkiye or elsewhere," and he believes peace is not only necessary, but inevitable.