RUSSIA-Erdogan: Turkey Can Lay Ground For Peace Talks w/Ukraine

Wires reporting comments from the office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kazakhstan. Says that the two 'discussed the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, ways to end the Syrian conflict and counter terrorism.' Erdogan told Putin that Turkey can lay the ground to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and that 'a just peace that suits both sides is possible'.

• Turkey has long sought to position itself as the only reliable broker between Russia and Ukraine in seeking a peace settlement. However, in recent months there has been very little progress on this front.
• Erdogan also talked up the prospect of the launch of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant, and the construction of the Sinop NPP, both of which are/would be carried out with the assistance of Russia's Rosatom.
• Putin said that "There was a drop in trade volume within the past few months but our annual trade volume is $55 billion. We are implementing our projects in a planned way. We will discuss our future goals (to improve relations). We are in close contact,"