Turkey to implement local currency with Russia, Erdogan says, as he calls Zelensky’s referendum wish a “smart leadership”
“We are buying nearly half of the natural gas we use from Russia. Separately, we are making our Akkuyy Nuclear Power Plant with Russia. We cannot set these aside,” Erdoğan said.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his Ukrainian counterpart’s comments on the need for a referendum for compromises with Russia was “smart leadership”, broadcaster NTV and others cited him as saying on Friday.
Speaking to reporters on a return flight from a NATO summit in Brussels, Erdoğan also said Turkey could not impose sanctions on Russia due to its energy needs and cooperation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday any compromises agreed with Russia to end the war would need to be voted upon in a referendum.
Erdoğan said he would hold separate calls with Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in the coming days to evaluate the summit.
TURKEY OFFERS TO MEDIATE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT
NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good ties with both and has offered to mediate the conflict. While supporting Ukraine and being critical of Russia, Ankara has opposed sanctions on Moscow.
“We are buying nearly half of the natural gas we use from Russia. Separately, we are making our Akkuyy Nuclear Power Plant with Russia. We cannot set these aside,” Erdoğan said.
“So there is nothing that can be done here. We must maintain our sensitivity on this issue. Firstly, I can’t leave my people in the cold of the winter. Secondly, I cannot halt our industry. We must defend these,” he added.
He also said Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were able to agree on four out of the six main issues being discussed during peace talks, but that territorial disputes on the eastern region of Donbass and Crimea remained.
TURKEY-RUSSIA COULD IMPLEMENT LOCAL CURRENCY IN TOURISM
Turkey and Russia may implement a solution that allows tourism revenues to be paid in local currencies, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was reported as saying by broadcaster NTV on Friday.
In an interview on his way back from a NATO meeting, Erdoğan told reporters that it would be ambitious to expect a serious increase in tourism in Turkey this year.
Source: A News Turkey
