Erdoğan, Rutte discuss Ukraine security guarantees

On August 19, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed by telephone the latest developments around the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict and possible guarantees for Ukraine's security.

Erdoğan and Rutte agreed on Türkiye’s contribution to the Ukraine peace process and on close coordination, emphasising Türkiye’s role as one of NATO’s most important members, the Presidential Communications Directorate said later the same day, Caliber.Az informs, quoting Turkish media.

Rutte called Erdoğan on his return from the critical summit with the U.S. president and European Union leaders on Ukraine peace efforts.

The two discussed feasible and sustainable security guarantees for Ukraine.

The call focused on the latest developments in efforts to secure peace between Ukraine and Russia, according to the directorate.

Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and others, at the White House on August 18, to hold talks around the settlement of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The discussions focused on security guarantees for Ukraine, with Trump confirming that Putin had agreed to accept such guarantees. Zelenskyy noted that a package of security guarantees, potentially including a significant purchase of American weapons, would be formalised within a week to ten days. Trump also announced plans for a trilateral meeting involving himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy, but the venue remains to be determined.

By Khagan Isayev