Dutch public broadcaster praises Türkey's mediation role in Russia-Ukraine war

By Selman Aksunger

AMSTERDAM (AA) - Dutch public broadcaster NOS praised Türkiye's mediation role Thursday in the Russia-Ukraine war, especially a landmark grain deal and prisoner exchange.

It said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will discuss the Russia-Ukraine peace talks under Ankara’s mediation during a meeting in Kazakhstan.

Emphasizing that Erdogan has played the mediator role since the beginning of the war, the report drew attention to the fact that, unlike other NATO members, Türkiye maintains good relations with Moscow while supporting Kyiv.

NOS noted that Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu, agreed to establish a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine during their meeting earlier this week.

It said although Ankara did not participate in sanctions against Russia, it rejected Moscow’s annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in Ukraine.

- Türkiye plays essential role in grain agreement

Citing the important role Türkiye played in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, NOS said the deal, which prevented a global food crisis, was carried out under Ankara’s coordination.

It noted a prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia also took place under Türkiye’s mediation and said it is unclear what the reaction of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be to peace talks mediated by Ankara.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan from Istanbul