In brief
At a G20 foreign‑ministers meeting in Atlanta, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that the nearly five‑year conflict had become unsustainable and urged Russia and Ukraine to make significant sacrifices to achieve peace. He cited the stranded Strait of Hormuz, disrupted Black Sea grain shipping, and broader economic damage as key reasons for his appeal and called for a broadened reconciliation between Russia and Europe.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan addressed a gathering of foreign ministers in Atlanta on Saturday, urging Ukraine and Russia to make "significant sacrifices" to end the war that has spanned almost five years.
Fidan said the cost of continued fighting has become "increasingly difficult" to ignore, especially for industrialized Europe, and warned that the conflict risks escalating into a wider regional conflict.
"These wars are no longer sustainable. Therefore, Russia and Ukraine must reach an agreement that entails significant sacrifices," Fidan told Anadolu and state broadcaster TRT. He added that any lasting settlement would also require a re‑definition of the relationship between Russia and Europe, noting that a peace solely between the two belligerents would not address the broader geopolitical gaps.
Fidan highlighted several economic consequences: the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which amplified energy supply disruptions, and the breakdown of Black Sea grain shipments that have left many countries scrambling to fill food security gaps.
He emphasized that the global economy’s interconnectedness makes it difficult to gauge the full financial toll of these disruptions, and called for the abrupt reopening of the Hormuz waterway as part of a broader diplomatic effort.
In addition, Fidan said Ankara was pursuing intensive diplomatic contacts to restore commercial shipping in the Black Sea and to get Russian and Ukrainian grain and energy supplies back to international markets, describing the food‑security issue as an urgent priority.
