Erdogan praised his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, for declaring the need for a referendum on a settlement with Russia. The Turkish president called that great leadership. However, it is not clear what kind of settlement Zelensky means.

Erdogan attended the NATO summit in Brussels. Turkey is a member of the alliance and has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine. Turkey does not participate in sanctions against Russia and is trying to mediate. Erdogan indicated that his country needs energy from Russia. “We buy almost half of our natural gas in Russia and together we are building a nuclear power plant in Turkey.” The plant not far from the Mediterranean, about 425 kilometers south of Ankara, should be ready in the coming years, then providing 10 percent of the country’s total energy needs.

Earlier this month, the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine met in the southern Turkish resort of Antalya. Erdogan said he would resume talks with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the coming days.

at Ukraine update Foreign Affairs Chief Frank van Vliet looks at the special NATO, G7, and EU summit on the war in Ukraine: