Erdogan affirms that the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been affected by the massacres in the country

Follow live the latest news about the war in Ukraine

Follow live the latest news about the war in Ukraine

MADRID, 19 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has indicated that a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine would be “one of the best actions carried out by humanity” in the framework of the failure of the negotiations, which have been affected, according to the Turkish president, for the massacres of Bucha, Irpin and Kramatorsk.

“We received the parties in Istanbul to continue their face-to-face negotiations. Thanks to these meetings, the parties made tangible progress, but the images of Bucha and Irpin and the attacks on civilians in Kramatorsk overshadowed our efforts,” he said.

Despite this, he assured that Turkey will continue with “its efforts” to reach an agreement. “The Istanbul process still maintains its character as the most reliable and shortest way out of the crisis,” she added, as reported by the Anatolia news agency.

Erdogan has stressed that “there will be no winner in this war”, since “all humanity” will lose due to the increased human and economic cost. “Our world is being dragged into great uncertainty,” the Turkish president said.

NEW OPERATION AGAINST PKK

On the other hand, in the framework of the launch of a new operation in northern Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group by Ankara, Erdogan stressed that they are determined “to continue the fight until that terrorism ceases to be a threat”.

The Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar, has highlighted that the ‘Blockade Claw’ operation has been launched against the group’s targets in the Avasin-Basyan, Metina and Zap regions with the aim of putting an end to PKK attacks and guaranteeing border security.

“After long preparation and coordination, we have started operation ‘Blockade Claw’. So far, all planned objectives have been achieved,” he said, adding that Turkish forces have destroyed “hides, bunkers, caves , tunnels, ammunition stores and command centers of the terrorists”.

Likewise, he stated that the Turkish Army “will continue to act with determination to save the country and the nation from the terrorist scourge that has affected the country for 40 years” and stressed that the operations “are carried out respecting the territorial integrity and the sovereign rights of brother and friend Iraq”.