Foreign Minister Cavusoglu discusses regional developments with the European Union and the Indonesian Foreign Minister

The Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held separate phone calls with his EU and Indonesian counterparts on Tuesday.

Cavusoglu and EU Foreign Policy Coordinator Josep Borrell discussed regional developments, especially Venezuela and Ukraine.

Turkey is one of the most active countries working to secure a permanent ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Its delicately balanced act of acting as mediator by keeping channels of communication open with both warring sides provides a glimmer of hope in diplomatic efforts to find a solution and bring peace to the Ukrainian crisis. Moreover, due to its unique position of having friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Turkey has won widespread acclaim for its push to end the war.

Since the beginning of the conflict, Ankara has offered to mediate between the two sides and host peace talks, affirming its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. In addition, while Ankara has opposed international sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow, it has also closed its straits to prevent some Russian ships from crossing them.

The country also facilitated the grain deal in cooperation with the United Nations.

The ministry said that Cavusoglu and Indonesian Retno Marsudi separately dealt with the latest developments in Afghanistan.

The Turkish government has taken a pragmatic approach to the situation in Afghanistan. Emphasizing that new realities have emerged in the country, Ankara said it will move forward accordingly while keeping communication open with all relevant actors.

Turkey holds regular talks with the Taliban in Kabul but has also criticized the administration for its discriminatory policies.

The Taliban administration in Afghanistan has banned girls from receiving post-secondary education amid criticism of its poor record on women’s rights. Despite promises of softer rule when they seized power last year, the Taliban have tightened restrictions on all aspects of women’s lives, ignoring international outrage.