Cavusoglu Sees Forces Among NATO Countries Interested In Continuing Conflict In Ukraine

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st April, 2022) Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that there were forces among the NATO countries that are interested in continuing the current situation in Ukraine in order to "weaken Russia."

"I personally did not expect the situation to last so long. Especially after the meeting in Istanbul. But at the meeting of the NATO foreign ministers, I already found out for myself that the situation will last," Cavusoglu said in an interview with CNN Turk.

Answering whether NATO was interested in continuing the situation, Cavusoglu said that "there are such forces."

"Yes, of course, there are such forces. They want Russia to be further weakened.

But who pays the price for this? Ukraine," he stressed.

It is difficult to talk about the timing of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Turkey, but Ankara hopes it will happen soon, Cavusoglu said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is "in active contact" with Putin and Zelenskyy to organize their meeting, offered to do it "as soon as possible," he said, adding that Erdogan's phone conversations with Putin and Zelenskyy were planned "in the coming days."

Turkey also proposes a meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul or Antalya, the minister added.