Turkish politician calls for urgent cease-fire between Russia, Ukraine

By Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkiye's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), on Thursday called for an "urgent" cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine.

Speaking to his party's parliamentary group, Bahceli called on Russia to respect Ukraine's political and territorial integrity and sovereign rights.

"A very urgent cease-fire regime should be established between Russia and Ukraine," Bahceli said.

"Russia should immediately and unconditionally abandon the occupation and withdraw its military elements (from Ukraine)," he added.

Bahceli also called on NATO to "definitely" reconsider its eastward expansion strategy.

"(NATO) must abandon its quest to keep its strength and its member states together by generating virtual fears," Bahceli said.

He added that the only solution to Ukraine's crisis is diplomacy and dialogue.

Over 2,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia launched its attacks on Feb. 24, according to Ukrainian authorities.

As the war entered its eighth day on Thursday, the UN Refugee Agency said some 1 million have been forced to flee Ukraine to neighboring countries.

The MHP leader also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's order to put his nuclear forces on high alert is "a terrifying scenario."

"Putin's attempt to justify the bloody invasion by perjuring history is a morbid and tragic example of his faltering in a flawed logic and contradiction," he said.