Donbas locals hail Turkey's mediation offer to defuse Ukraine-Russia tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's attitude towards Ukraine is like 'father's care,' says resident of Kramatorsk city

Conflicts 17:00 02.02.2022
On the eve of an official visit to Ukraine by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, locals in the eastern region of Donbas voice support for Ankara's possible mediation between Kyiv and Moscow, calling for dialogue in defusing the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow.
 
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, a resident of Kramatorsk -- an industrial city that fell to pro-Russian separatists in 2014 before the Ukrainian army regained control, underlined that ties between Ankara and Kyiv are "good," and that Turkiye's mediation would be "be better than (that of) the US, which wants to interfere here (in Ukraine's affairs)."
 
"The thing that Turkiye provided Ukraine, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the joint production that seems to be underway, is very good and very wonderful," said a pensioner in the city, who did not want to be named.
 
"The way President Erdogan speaks about Ukraine is like a father's care, he's ready to help with all means," he added.
 
He also stressed that in general, only "positive thoughts are evoked by Turkiye's role" in resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
 
Another resident of the city, located in the region of Donetsk in Donbas, said she hopes Ukraine's friendship with Turkiye will continue and that she believes that Ankara will help her country.
 
 
- Everyone should help each other
 
"I, like any other person who feels that someone wants to help them, think that (Turkiye's support) is normal. Everyone should help one another. The more powerful helping the less powerful. I think it's all natural. I think whoever helps us is close to us, if not our brother," said another resident, Yuriy Rud.
 
Rud underlined that once Ukraine is back on its feet after the conflict is over, it "will definitely return (the favor) that Turkiye provided."
 
He added that Erdogan was coming to Ukraine "in peace."
 
Rud went on to say that whoever helps Ukraine, Kyiv will do the same back, but that "whoever kicks us, tramples our ground, will get what he deserves."
 
"Now, we feel there are close countries that help us. We're calmer now. When we were alone, it wasn't easy," he said.
 
 
- Boosting relations
 
Another pensioner asserted that Erdogan's visit to Kyiv would help boost relations.
 
"I think there'll be some help provided to Ukraine. The UAVs (Turkiye provided) are very good ... it's great that they're helping Ukraine," she said.
 
"Ukraine is a peaceful country. But, wherever Russia goes, there is also war, starting with Karabakh (region of Azerbaijan), and so on in Moldova, Syria, Lebanon. It (Russia) is everywhere (causing conflict). It's just an aggressor country. That's what I think," she added.
 
Erdogan said on Tuesday that his country does not want war between Russia and Ukraine and hopes tensions are resolved peacefully.
 
"We would never want a war between Russia and Ukraine. This is not a good omen for the region. As a NATO country, we do not want such a thing, we do not accept it ... I hope we can resolve this peacefully," he noted.
 
The Turkish president has said on multiple occasions in recent weeks that he is ready to host the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to help calm the tensions between their countries.
 
NATO last week rejected Russia's demands to withdraw its troops and weapons from Eastern Europe and to halt the integration of Ukraine, urging Moscow to focus on diplomatic engagement and to start talks on arms control.
 
Ukraine and Russia have been locked in a conflict since hostilities in Donbas broke out in 2014 after Russia illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula.
 
Russia also recently amassed tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine's borders, prompting fears that the Kremlin could be planning another military offensive against its ex-Soviet neighbor.
 
Moscow has denied it is preparing to invade and said its troops are there for exercises.
IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Drone attack in Russia's Udmurtia leaves three dead, dozens injured
20:15 01.07.2025
Billionaire Musk vows to launch new political party if controversial Trump bill passes Congress
20:00 01.07.2025
Broken Friendship: Azerbaijan–Russia Relations INTERVIEW
19:40 01.07.2025
Baku to host D-8 Youth Forum in July
19:30 01.07.2025
Speaker: Armenia should seriously begin discussing issue of stopping broadcasting Russian TV channels
19:20 01.07.2025
Russian Foreign Ministry: Azerbaijani envoy handed verbal note
19:15 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan signs $173.5M loan agreement with WB for renewable energy project
19:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan ink several documents to diversify economic partnership
18:45 01.07.2025
Another group of Ukrainian children arrive in Azerbaijan for rehabilitation
18:15 01.07.2025
IEPF Launches a Series of Trainings for NGOs
18:14 01.07.2025
Sahil Babayev: Azerbaijan aims to become green energy exporter
18:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani minister: Youth action plan to be drafted at international event in Aghdam
17:45 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan launches criminal case into killing of Azerbaijani brothers in Russia
17:30 01.07.2025
European diplomats visit West Bank town after deadly attack by Israeli settlers
17:15 01.07.2025
Poland’s president calls on gov’t to stop entry of migrants from Germany
17:00 01.07.2025
Artists, writers urge UK government not to ban pro-Palestine group
16:45 01.07.2025
China's Communist Party tops 100 million members in ‘significant milestone’
16:30 01.07.2025
China says ‘complicated’ boundary dispute with India will take time to resolve
16:15 01.07.2025
Severe weather batters Italy, leaving two dead and multiple regions on alert
16:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijan detains Russian citizens in Baku suspected of drug trafficking, online fraud
15:50 01.07.2025
China sanctions former Philippines senator over 'egregious conduct' on Beijing-related issues
15:30 01.07.2025
Meta fined over $512,000 by Taiwan for lack of transparency over advertisers
15:15 01.07.2025
Trump says Musk would ‘head back to South Africa’ without US subsidies for EVs
15:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani brothers murdered in Russia hit with blunt instrument, examinations reveal
14:45 01.07.2025
Kazakhstan commends top-tier organization of ECO Youth Forum in Azerbaijan's Aghdam
14:30 01.07.2025
U.S. Charge d'Affaires hails Azerbaijan’s support in ensuring safe evacuation country's citizens from Iran
14:15 01.07.2025
Slovakia appoints Azerbaijani native as ambassador to Baku
14:00 01.07.2025
Fitch reveals forecast for Azerbaijan's state budget deficit in 2025
13:45 01.07.2025
WSJ: Amazon is on the cusp of using more robots than Humans in its warehouses
13:30 01.07.2025
Politico: EC ready to allow countries to restrict access to social networks by age
13:15 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani brothers murdered in Russia hit with blunt instrument, examinations reveal
13:00 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani official elected vice-president of international conference
12:45 01.07.2025
US approves $510M sale of munitions guidance kits to Israel
12:30 01.07.2025
Death toll in India factory blast rises to 34
12:25 01.07.2025
Azerbaijani ambassador leaves Russian Foreign Ministry building
12:15 01.07.2025
Iranian president to attend ECO summit in Azerbaijan's Khankandi
12:10 01.07.2025
Russia summons Azerbaijani ambassador
12:00 01.07.2025
Iran-linked hackers threaten to release Trump aides' emails
11:45 01.07.2025
Israeli strikes on Gaza Strip leave 95 Palestinians killed
11:30 01.07.2025
Israel shoots down over 1,000 Iranian drones — permanent representative to UN
11:15 01.07.2025
Hamısı