Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has accused other member-states of NATO, of which Turkey is a member, of supporting a protracted war in Ukraine so as “to weaken” Moscow.

“There are countries within the ranks of NATO that want to see the war continue,” the Turkish foreign minister said.

“Their objective is to weaken Russia.”

Turkey’s role in negotiations

Russo-Ukrainian negotiations, which were hosted by Turkey in Istanbul on 29 March and which were to continue via video link, have not been continued.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the Ukrainians continually “renege” on points about which the two sides had agreed.

Turkey had previously hosted Russo-Ukrainian talks in Antalya on 10 March.