Western media: no special progress was achieved in Lviv
The talks held in Lviv on Thursday between the presidents of Ukraine and Turkey, as well as the UN Secretary General, did not bring much progress, Western media say.
Photo: Global Look Press
Turkish leader Erdogan and UN Chief Guterres met with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Thursday in a powerful attempt to stop the conflict that has been going on for almost six months. But the Associated Press, commenting on the results of the negotiations, reports little progress.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would contact Russian President Vladimir Putin, given that most of the issues discussed require the Kremlin’s consent.
At meetings at such a high level — this was Erdogan’s first visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict and the second visit of UN Secretary—General Antonio Guterres – some hoped for a breakthrough, if not to a common peace, then at least on specific issues. But so far nothing like this is visible, the Associated Press notes.
At the meeting in Lviv, the negotiators discussed the expansion of the exchange of prisoners of war and the organization of the visit of IAEA experts in ensuring security at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe.
Erdogan positions himself as a mediator in efforts to end the fighting. Although Turkey is a NATO member, its shaky economy depends on trade with Russia, and Ankara is trying to maintain a middle course between the two warring sides of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Turkish President called on the international community after the talks not to abandon diplomatic efforts to end hostilities. He reiterated that Turkey is ready to act as a “mediator” and added that he remains convinced that the conflict “will end at the negotiating table.”
In March, Turkey held talks in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators, which did not lead to a cessation of hostilities.
One of the main topics of negotiations in Lviv was the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in the south of Ukraine. Zelensky demanded that Russian troops leave the nuclear power plant and allow a team from the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“This area needs to be demilitarized, and we must say as it is: any potential damage in Zaporozhye is suicide,” UN Secretary General Guterres said at a press conference.
Erdogan also expressed concern about the events around the nuclear power plant, saying: “We don’t want a repeat of Chernobyl.”
Zelensky and the UN chief on Thursday agreed to conduct an IAEA mission at the nuclear power plant, according to the president’s website.
Guterres used the talks in Lviv to appoint General Carlos dos Santos Cruz from Brazil, who will lead the previously announced UN fact-finding mission on the incident at the prison in Yelenovka, where 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed in an explosion in July.
Also on the agenda of the talks held on Thursday was an increase in grain exports. Earlier this summer, an agreement was reached with the mediation of the UN and Turkey, opening the way for Ukraine to export 22 million tons of corn and other grain stuck in its Black Sea ports after the conflict began.
The lockdown has exacerbated food shortages in the world, led to higher prices and increased the fear of hunger, especially in Africa, the Associated Press notes. Nevertheless, even taking into account the deal, Ukrainian grain was exported only in a trickle — according to Turkey, about 600 thousand tons.
Zelensky said on Thursday that he was proposing to increase supplies. Guterres, for his part, touted the success of the operation, but added: “There is a long way to go before this translates into the daily lives of people in their local bakery and in their markets.”