UPDATE - Turkish president, Austrian chancellor talk Ukraine-Russia war, regional issues

UPDATES WITH REMARKS BY AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR

By Burak Dag

ANKARA (AA) – Every opportunity should be used towards ending the humanitarian tragedy in Ukraine, Turkiye’s president said in a phone call with the Austrian chancellor on Thursday.

Urging support for Istanbul process to advance peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the war and bilateral ties with Karl Nehammer, according to a statement by Turkiye’s Communications Directorate.

Erdogan also thanked the Austrian premier for praising Ankara’s role to end the war as soon as possible and expressing his support for the Istanbul process regarding peace talks.

Ankara would continue its efforts in favor of a peaceful solution, he underlined.

“We agree that the Istanbul process is the best opportunity for peace in Ukraine,” Nehammer said on Twitter.

Austria will always contribute to peace with its policy of active neutrality, the chancellor said.

Nehammer held various contacts as part of his trip to Ukraine’s capital Kiev on April 9 and visited war-hit areas, particularly Bucha, a liberated Ukrainian city near Kiev where the bodies of civilians allegedly killed by Russian troops were discovered.

Following his visit to Kyiv, Nehammer went to Moscow on April 11 and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Commenting on the meeting, he said it was “difficult.”

Nehammer became the first European leader to visit Moscow since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war on Feb. 24.

At least 1,964 civilians have been killed and 2,613 injured in Ukraine since the war began, according to UN estimates, with the true figure believed to be much higher.

More than 4.7 million Ukrainians have fled to other countries so far, with over 7 million more internally displaced, said the UN refugee agency.