Erdogan says fair peace possible in meeting with Putin. Ukraine's MPs respond

A fair peace satisfying both sides is possible in the Russian-Ukrainian war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a meeting with dictator Vladimir Putin. Ukraine interprets fair peace as the complete restoration of territorial integrity, according to Oleksandr Merezhko, head of the Ukrainian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, in a comment to LIGA.net.

"It's notable that Erdogan used the term 'fair peace' in his proposal, the same term President Zelenskyy uses. When we talk about fair peace, we mean peace based on principles of international law and the UN Charter," said the MP from the Servant of the People party.

He added that fair peace implies full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity and respect for its sovereignty. This includes the right to join any international organization (including NATO) and the non-use of force in international relations, the politician said.

Merezhko is confident that Erdogan understands that Ukraine, as a sovereign state and subject of international law, has all the rights that Turkey, a NATO member, has.

"On one hand, we all remember the 'grain deal' format and Erdogan's role in it. On the other, Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly openly stated its readiness for dialogue with Putin through mediators, essentially following the 'grain deal' format," said opposition Holos party MP Andriy Osadchuk, a member of the committee.

In his opinion, we can now observe a competition for the status of such a mediator, with Erdogan undoubtedly in a leading position due to his successful experience in conducting similar negotiations.

However, there are many other willing parties, and while Ukraine strives for and fights for a fair peace, "a bunch of world politicians are striving for the glory of peacemakers," Osadchuk concluded.

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