Türkiye urges diplomacy without delay to end war in Ukraine

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Türkiye's new UN envoy Sedat Onal stressed Wednesday that the swift articulation of a diplomatic vision is needed to end the war in Ukraine.

Speaking at an emergency session on Ukraine at the UN General Assembly, Onal said the fact that the war in Ukraine is about to "enter its second year with little prospect of peace is disheartening."

"The trajectory of the crisis cannot be decided just by the dynamics of the battleground. A clear vision for ending this war through diplomacy has to be articulated sooner rather than later," he said.

The envoy said that since day one, Türkiye has adopted a principled position in terms of rejecting the war in Ukraine and calling it unacceptable.

"We also tried to facilitate diplomacy at an early stage both in Antalya and İstanbul," he noted.

Onal also cited the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by Türkiye and the UN and said it has proven that diplomacy can deliver results.

"As we enter the second year of this conflict, Türkiye will remain engaged in all efforts towards this end," he added.

Onal reiterated Türkiye's position on the war and said Ankara fully supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty.

"We continue to stand firmly against this war and reject the annexation of the Ukrainian territories under Russian control," he added.