Türkiye’s Contribution to Stability: Multi-Dimensional Diplomacy For Peace TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE © 2023 PUBLICATIONS BY PRESIDENCY’S DIRECTORATE OF COMMUNICATIONS Publication Certificate No: 45482 1st edition, İstanbul – 2023 Contact Kızılırmak Mahallesi Mevlana Bulv. No:144 Çukurambar Ankara/TÜRKİYE T +90 312 590 20 00 | webinfo@iletisim.gov.tr ISBN: 978-625-7377-44-7 Türkiye’s Contribution to Stability: Multi-Dimensional Diplomacy For Peace TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S Türkiye’s Contribution to Stability: Multi-Dimensional Diplomacy For Peace Introduction President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 06 GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE 09 President Erdoğan’s Diplomacy Traffic 11 TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR 51 Our Initiatives To Prevent War 53 Emphasis on Ukraine’s Territorial Integrity 63 Call for Ceasefire 79 MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE 89 Türki̇ye As A Source Of Balance 93 Hosting Peace Talks İstanbul Summit 99 Antalya Diplomacy Forum 109 Christmas Ceasefire and Türkiye 117 ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY 119 Protection of Civilian Elements 121 Türkiye’s Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine 131 Keeping the Humanitarian Corridors Open 139 Ensuring The Black Sea’s Security 147 Prisoner Swaps 155 Türki̇ye’s Leading Role In Opening and Maintaining The Grain Corridor 159 Public Diplomacy to Secure Peace and Stability 173 Türki̇ye’s Contribution to the Reconstruction of War-Affected Region 193 W e are living in a time when every country is feeling the effects of the global pandemic across all sec- tors, and regional, political and economic tensions as well as hot conflicts are disrupting the world or- der. While the humanitarian crisis and political issues in crisis re- gions such as Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, and Arakan remain unresolved, the entire world, particularly Eastern Europe, has been forced to confront with the devastation and misery ca- used by the Russia-Ukraine war. It has once again been demons- trated that even the smallest problem, if overlooked, can result in disasters. I N T R O D U C T I O N INTRODUCTION | 7 This war has once again revealed the critical need for international organisations established to safeguard security and stability to be more effective and decisive in their actions. As a result, NATO, whi- ch has played a critical role in promoting security and stability sin- ce its establishment, bears enormous responsibility in this context. On the other hand, it will be decisive in NATO’s future to resolve the issues of global security architecture as quickly as possible and en- sure complete solidarity of member states both inside the alliance and in bilateral relations. As one of the five countries that contributed the most to NATO, of which it has been a member for 70 years, Türkiye fulfils all the requ- irements of the spirit of alliance decisively and effectively. Türkiye, which plays an active role in contributing to the resolution, peace, and stability in regional and global crises ranging from Afghanistan to the Balkans, Africa to the Caucasus, also makes a strong diplo- matic effort to achieve peace between Russia and Ukraine. Everyo- ne must act with the same sense of responsibility to avoid further humanitarian tragedies, especially loss of life and forced migration. Türkiye respects international law, justice, equity, and mutual res- pect and interest in its relations with neighbouring countries as well as its alliances. As a reliable ally, we are fulfilling our obligations in the face of several challenges that NATO continues to face. As we have done thus far, we will continue to contribute to the establish- ment of global peace, prosperity, and stability within the context of an enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy. TÜRKİYE CUMHURİYETİ CUMHURBAŞKANI RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE 10 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 11 U nder President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leader- ship, Türkiye embraced global leadership in order to strengthen peace and stability by addressing the Russia-Ukraine crisis at the highest level. Since the beginning of the war on February 24, 2022, President Erdoğan has conducted intense diplomacy traffic by holding tête-à-tête meetings and phone calls with 34 world leaders, prime ministers, and representatives of international organisations. Our country, which convened a Security Summit under his leadership on the first day of the war, mobilised its diplomatic resources to prevent the crisis from reaching a global scale by urging a call to calm in order to maintain regional peace and security. Our country, which regarded Russia’s war against Ukraine as unacceptable from the very start, maintained its principled stance to defend the countries’ political sovereignty and territo- rial integrity. Since the Ukraine crisis began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea, Türkiye has consistently emphasised its commitment to respecting countries’ territorial integrity and political sover- eignty within the framework of international law. O U R P R E S I D E N T ’ S D I P L O M A C Y T R A F F I C 12 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Our country, which responds calmly to regional and global cri- ses, has taken steps to provide common platforms for all parties to convene by calling for open channels of dialogue to be main- tained on all issues. The events in Ukraine clearly demonstrate that the current in- ternational system is insufficient in addressing regional and global issues. The fact that the actors who are the causes of or parties to the issues are, at the same time, the “keepers” of the international system makes the crises even more insoluble. Our country believes that regulations should be made in the global security architecture in light of the principles of “The World is Bigger Than 5” and “A Fairer World is Possible”, which are often voiced by our President. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 13 In March, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held tête-à- tête meetings and phone calls with 34 world leaders. 14 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE During the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with more than 20 world leaders and representatives from international organisations to ensure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 15 Our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during his call with Pres- ident Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, stated that the war initi- ated by Russia is unacceptable, Ukraine’s territorial integrity is respected, and that they are working for an immediate declara- tion of ceasefire. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on February 26, 2022. 16 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 17 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres within the scope of the tripartite summit at Potocki Palace. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine at the Potocki Palace. 18 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during his call with Presi- dent Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, noted that an urgent general ceasefire would not only ease the humanitarian concerns in the region but also provide an opportunity to seek a political solution and reiterated his call to “pave the way for peace together.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation on March 6, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 19 20 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE On August 5, 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation in Sochi, Russia, where he was on a working visit. Noting that the transport of the Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports has begun successfully thanks to the mediation of the United Nations and Türkiye, President Putin of Russia praised President Erdoğan for his contributions. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 21 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the extraordinary NATO Leaders’ Summit held in Brussels on 24 March following the Russia-Ukraine war Meetings with NATO Allies 22 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Between 28-30 June 2022, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan travelled to Madrid for the NATO Leaders’ Summit and engaged in intense diplomatic activity there. The agenda of President Erdoğan covered the fight against terrorism, the application for membership by Sweden and Finland, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. During the summit, Erdoğan held bilateral and multilateral meetings with 12 leaders. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 23 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with US President Joe Biden as part of the NATO Leaders’ Summit. During his meetings with his US counterpart Joe Biden, Pres- ident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasised that Türkiye contin- ued its efforts to achieve a political solution between Russia and Ukraine and underlined that, in the event of a further es- calation of the crisis, it was essential for Türkiye to facilitate communication with both sides. 24 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 25 At each stage of a crisis, our nation employs a multifaceted and proactive approach to diplomacy with strategically allied nations. Türkiye is aware that the stability of Ukraine will contribute to the well-being and peace of Europe, and it con- tinues to pursue diplomatic initiatives in order to prevent hu- manitarian crises. President Erdoğan met with Prime Minister Johnson of the UK at the summit held in Madrid, the capital of Spain, on June 28-30, 2022. 26 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 27 While our nation is taking the necessary steps to ensure the security of Europe, it has emphasised that diplomatic efforts towards a solution should be accelerated before all parties. During his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated unequivocally that Türkiye would continue its efforts to establish a permanent ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. President Erdoğan and Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany held a bilateral meeting on the second day of the NATO Leaders’ Summit, which was held in Madrid, Spain, on June 28-30, 2022. 28 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE In addition to contacting European nations regarding the Rus- sia-Ukraine crisis, our state has taken the initiative to expand regional diplomatic efforts to a global scale. Our President Re- cep Tayyip Erdoğan, who engaged in intense diplomatic traf- fic with European leaders, continues to establish a dialogue ground for cooperation with world leaders against all threats that may threaten the stability of the Black Sea and the region within the confines of international law. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on February 24, 2022, about Russia’s war against Ukraine. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 29 During the summit, President Erdoğan also met with Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy in a meeting that was closed to the press and held at NATO headquarters. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Hulusi Akar, Minister of National Defence, also attended the meeting. 30 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Erdoğan met with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain on the second day of the NATO Summit. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 31 President Erdoğan held a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands as part of the NATO Summit. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Prime Minister Karl Nehammer of Austria in Madrid, Spain’s capital, where he was in attendance at the NATO Summit. 32 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a face-to-face meeting with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece on March 13, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 33 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with President Klaus Werner Iohannis of Romania at the IFEMA Congress Centre as part of the NATO Summit Meeting of Heads of State and Government in Madrid. 34 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with his Lithuanian counterpart, Gitanas Nauseda, on March 5, 2022. Our state is concerned with the peace and prosperity of its re- gion and allied nations. In this context, it holds meetings with regional and European partners regarding the war and cease- fire initiatives between Russia and Ukraine. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 35 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, on March 16, 2022. 36 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a tete-a-tete with his Slovenian counterpart, Borut Pahor, on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held on March 11-13, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 37 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a face-to-face meeting with Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential Council Members Šefik Džaferović and Milorad Dodik on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held on March 11-13, 2022. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a tête-à-tête meeting with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov of Bulgaria on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held on March 11-13, 2022. 38 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, on March 5, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 39 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and regional issues during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held on March 11-13, 2022. 40 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted his Kosovan counterpart Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara on March 1, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 41 Following the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Brussels, President Erdoğan held a press conference and answered journalists’ questions. Erdoğan stated that “covert and open embargoes between allies should not even be a talking point” and that negotiations would continue with both Putin and Zelensky. 42 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Contacts with NATO Türkiye continues its peace-building efforts on international platforms in the Ukraine crisis nonstop. Our country will con- tinue to play a key role in promoting global peace and stabil- ity by organising multilateral conferences to which all global actors, regardless of their position or allegiance, are invited to participate. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum organised by Türkiye on March 11-13. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 43 44 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Contacts with the EU President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, on the first day of the NATO Leaders’ Summit held in Madrid, Spain, on June 28-30, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 45 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel on March 9, 2022. 46 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Meetings with Regional Actors Since the initial escalation of tensions, our nation country has continued its diplomatic efforts, emphasizing the necessity to act in concert with all states in the region to ensure the securi- ty and stability of the Black Sea. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara on March 10, 2022. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 47 Türkiye has taken steps to maintain open channels of dialogue and multilateral diplomacy in the resolution of regional and global crises and has maintained contact with all parties in- volved in the Russia-Ukraine war. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with his Belarusian counterpart, Aleksandr Lukashenko, on March 1, 2022. 48 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a tête-à-tête meeting with the founding President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held on March 11-13, 2022. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan on February 26, 2022, and emphasised the critical nature of cooperation for the region’s stability and security. GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 49 Türkiye attaches importance to its strategic alliances in terms of its global and regional security architecture and works in coordination with international organisations. Our country acts in accordance with national interests, geopolitical bal- ances and world peace by laying the groundwork for multilat- eral cooperation and dialogue in times of crisis and playing a critical role in strengthening peace. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the NATO Leaders’ Summit held on February 25, 2022, via video conference. 50 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN BUILDING A WORLD OF PEACE | 51 TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR 52 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 53 O U R I N I T I AT I V E S T O P R E V E N T WA R “We, as Türkiye, have never lost our cool in the face of the crises in our region, displaying a principled and conscientious stance since the very first day.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Parliamentary Group Meeting, March 9, 2022 54 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE F aced with the imminent threat of war, Türkiye, which made an effort to keep channels of dialogue open and conducted high-level talks with the parties from the start, maintained its policies toward a peace settlement even after the war began. While Türkiye expressed its concerns about the developments on all platforms, Russia’s operation against Ukraine was de- scribed as a war. While emphasising the inadmissibility of an attack in this way, it pursued a balanced policy in order to main- tain open channels of dialogue. However, within the framework of its international law-derived rights and obligations, it did not hesitate to use the instruments at its disposal in order to avert the war’s escalation. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 55 The growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine were ad- dressed in the National Security Council meeting convened on January 27, 2022, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. To emphasise that escalating tensions serves no one’s interests, all parties were urged to use common sense to de-escalate the situation. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, after the Cabinet Meeting on February 28, 2022, clearly expressed Türkiye’s stance with the following words in his statement regarding the Russia-Ukraine crisis. “I would like to strongly emphasise that Türkiye wants peace, serenity and prosperity in its region. We have displayed this stance of ours at every incident and in every place, from Iraq to Syria, the Caucasus to the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean to the Balkans. We called on Ukraine and Russia, both of whom we see as our friends, to solve their problems through dialogue. The witness to our sincere efforts, including our mediation of- fer, is the Ukrainian and Russian leaders themselves. In the meantime, we continued our multilateral diplomatic attempts uninterruptedly for the establishment of peace and stability. However, the fears came true eventually, and guns were fired on February 24. We are truly saddened by the emergence of 56 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE such a picture. We continue to express our country’s approach vis-à-vis this issue at every platform, including NATO Leaders’ Summit.” “As we have always said, we advocate respect for Ukraine’s sov- ereignty, political unity and territorial integrity. We see Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s territory as unacceptable and appreciate the struggle waged by the administration and people of Ukraine.” “Türkiye has always fulfilled, and will continue to fulfil, all of its responsibilities within the organisations and alliances it is a part of, particularly the UN, NATO and the EU. We will, of course, make no concessions from our national interests; how- ever, we will not disregard the regional and global balances, either. That is why we say we give up on neither Ukraine nor Russia.” “We will continue the evacuation process through various channels in response to the developments and demands. We are determined to use the authority given to our country by the Montreux Convention over the vessel traffic in the Straits in a manner to prevent the escalation of the crisis.” TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 57 Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu made statements following the Cabinet Meeting on February 28, 2022, regarding the Montreux Straits Convention, which came up on the agen- da with the Russia-Ukraine war, and the passage of warships through the straits. Reminding that in the event of war, if Türkiye is a party to the war, the straits will be under Türkiye’s authority and at its dis- posal, Çavuşoğlu noted: “If Türkiye is not a party to the war, Türkiye has the authority not to let the ships of the warring countries through the straits. If the warship is returning to its base in the Black Sea, the pas- sage will not be blocked. We are applying the Montreux Con- vention. We have alerted all littoral and non-littoral countries not to pass warships through the Black Sea. As we have done so far, we will continue implementing the Montreux Convention. There has been no passage or a request for passage through the straits to date. Until now, the Russians were asking whether we would implement the Montreux Con- vention if needed. We told them that we would strictly follow the convention.” 58 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar responded to jour- nalists’ questions about the agenda following the Presidential Cabinet Meeting on February 28, 2022. With his statement, “We are trying to ensure that the Black Sea does not turn into an area of competition. As the country with the longest coast to the Black Sea, we have maintained this un- derstanding as a principle. As Türkiye, we have made every effort to maintain peace, tranquillity, and a safe environment in the Black Sea throughout our negotiations. As we have done so far, we will continue to implement Articles 19, 20 and 21 of the Montreux Straits Convention,” Akar noted that the Turkish Straits would be closed to warships in accordance with inter- national law and the Montreux Straits Convention in order to prevent further damage to the warring parties. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 59 THE SCOPE OF ARTICLES 19, 20 AND 21 OF THE MON- TREUX CONVENTION If Türkiye is not a party to the war, warships enjoy complete freedom of transit and navigation through the Straits, accord- ing to Article 19 of the Convention. “In times of war, Türkiye not being belligerent, warships shall enjoy complete freedom of transit and navigation through the Straits under the same conditions as those laid down in Articles 10 to 18. Vessels of war belonging to belligerent Powers shall not, however, pass through the Straits.” According to Article 20 of the Convention, “In times of war, Türkiye being belligerent, the passage of war- ships shall be left entirely to the discretion of the Turkish Gov- ernment.” According to Article 21 of the Convention, “Should Türkiye consider herself to be threatened with immi- nent danger of war, she shall have the right to apply the provi- sions of Article 20 of the present Convention. Vessels which have passed through the Straits before Türkiye has made use of the powers conferred upon her by the preced- ing paragraph and which thus find themselves separated from their bases may return thereto. 60 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Should the Turkish Government make use of the powers con- ferred by the first paragraph of the present Article, a notifica- tion to that effect shall be addressed to the High Contracting Parties and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. If the UN Security Council decides by a majority of two-thirds that the measures thus taken by Türkiye are not justified, and if such should also be the opinion of the majority of the signa- tories to the present Convention, the Turkish Government un- dertakes to discontinue the measures in question as also any measures which may have been taken under Article 6 of the present Convention.” It was stated that this agreement, the latest developments on this issue, and bilateral relations were discussed. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 61 During a phone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu on February 28, 2022, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated his condemnation of Russia’s pre- meditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine and expressed his appreciation for the solidarity among partners and Allies in confronting this crisis. Secretary Blinken expressed his satisfaction with Türkiye’s continuous implementation of the Montreux Convention and Minister of Foreign Affairs Çavuşoğlu’s recent comments on the issue and thanked Türkiye for its strong and vocal support in defence of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 62 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 63 T ürkiye finds Russia’s attack against Ukraine’s territo- ry unacceptable. Our country unequivocally opposes any attempt that jeopardizes regional and interna- tional peace. It has been clearly expressed through all authorized channels that Russia’s unfortunate attempt to vio- late international law would not serve the parties or our region’s peace and tranquillity. From the beginning of the tension, our country has advised the parties to exercise restraint. E M P H A S I S O N U K R A I N E ’ S T E R R I T O R I A L I N T E G R I T Y 64 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Since 2014, when hostilities erupted in Ukraine, Türkiye has maintained Ukraine’s political sovereignty and territorial in- tegrity. Türkiye, which has made its position on the annexation of Crimea extremely clear, resolutely maintains its position on the ongoing war in Ukraine. We call on all parties to refrain from actions that could escalate the ongoing war and lead to disaster in our region and to act sensibly. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 65 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued the following statement at Esenboğa Airport on February 3, 2022, before departing for Ukraine at the invitation of President Zelensky of Ukraine to hold official meetings: “Türkiye keeps a close eye on the challenges faced by Ukraine and the tension in the region. We express on every platform our support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, our strategic partner and neighbour. We, as a Black Sea country ourselves, call on all the parties to act with restraint and pursue dialogue in order for peace to prevail in the region.” “It is clear that the conflict must be settled by peaceful means and in accordance with international law. Let me underscore once again that we stand ready to do our part for the estab- lishment of peace and security in our region.” In his remarks, President Erdoğan expressed Türkiye’s emphasis on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and belief in the importance of dialogue for peace in the case of an armed attack. 66 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE In the immediate aftermath of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine on February 24, Türkiye convened the “Secu- rity Summit” under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Türkiye has placed a premium on resolving disputes between Russia and Ukraine within the framework of international law and negotiations since the crisis began. Russia’s military operation was found to be in violation of inter- national law, and the situation was deemed unacceptable. It was emphasised that Ukraine’s political unity and territorial integrity must be safeguarded and that the operation dealt a se- vere blow to the region’s stability. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 67 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated during the Presidential Cabinet Meeting held on February 28, 2022, in response to the attacks on Ukraine, “As we have always said, we advocate respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty, political unity and territorial integri- ty. We see Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s territory as unacceptable and appreciate the struggle waged by the administration and people of Ukraine.” and expressed a firm stance, emphasising Türkiye’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity. 68 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE “Those who kept silent in the face of Crimea’s occupation are now speaking up. Does justice function well in one part of the world but not in the other? The international community has not shown the necessary sensibility. Ukraine was left alone in its righteous cause. We are facing dreadful results of problems that can be remedied by diplomacy. If the entire West had raised their voice against the invasion of Crimea in 2014, would we be facing today’s picture? We hope restraint and common sense will prevail, and the weap- ons will fall silent as soon as possible. In order for peace and calm to prevail in our region, we will con- tinue to exert every effort, including exercising the powers given to our country by the Montreux Convention. A new global security architecture, which will protect peace as opposed to the status quo, which will serve all of humanity in- stead of the interests of the five countries, must be established.” President Erdoğan said, emphasising that the international community should have safeguarded Ukraine’s territorial integ- rity during the initial attacks in Crimea in 2014, not today. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 69 On February 24, 2022, following the start of Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a writ- ten statement outlining Türkiye’s official position: “We consider the military operation launched by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation against Ukraine unacceptable and reject it. This attack, beyond destroying the Minsk agreements, is a grave violation of international law and poses a serious threat to the security of our region and the world. Believing in the necessity to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries, Türkiye is against changing borders by the use of arms. We call on the Russian Federation to immediately stop this un- just and unlawful act. Our support for the political unity, sovereignty and territorial in- tegrity of Ukraine will continue.” 70 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Türkiye co-sponsored the resolution and was one of the core group nations that contributed to the text at the United Nations General Assembly, where the draft resolution condemning Rus- sia’s war on Ukraine was adopted. In the adopted resolution, Russia’s attacks on Ukraine were strongly condemned, and it was demanded that Moscow “im- mediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine”. Emphasising the sovereignty, independence and territorial in- tegrity of Ukraine, the resolution “deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2 (4) of the Charter.” The resolution stressing that Russia should cease its military activities in Ukraine states that Russia’s February 21 decision to recognise the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk republics was in- valid, and it demands that “the Russian Federation immediate- ly and unconditionally reverse the decision”, and the resolution calls upon the parties to abide by the Minsk Agreements. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 71 As a result, Türkiye has demonstrated its firm stance in this regard by participating in the direct authoring of the text on Ukraine’s territorial integrity at the highest international plat- form and voting to condemn Russia. The speeches and official statements of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan were highlighted in conveying Türkiye’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and initiating a dialogue for peace. Furthermore, this viewpoint has been expressed by other state authorities on various occasions and platforms. 72 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Following his official talks in Russia, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met with his counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 17, 2022. In his statement following the meeting, he said, “The entire world is witnessing the struggle of Ukraine and its people against this war. We fully support Ukraine’s territorial integrity, independence, and sovereign- ty. Our support for Ukraine is a natural result of its principled policy, alliance and strategic partnership. Our humanitarian aid will also be continued. Türkiye has displayed a principled stance during this period from the very beginning. As a country that has a dialogue with both countries, it has made sincere at- tempts to end the war.” TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 73 Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine met at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, on March 24, 2022. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu held a joint press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov of Russia. 74 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar spoke with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd James Austin via telephone. According to the Ministry’s statement, during the meeting where NATO, bilateral, and regional issues were discussed, Akar and Austin exchanged information and perspectives on defence and security in Ukraine, as well as developments in the field of defence. Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar made contacts in Brussels, where he was within the scope of the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence. Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar met with the Ministers of Defence of Ukraine and the UK in a tripartite meeting. During the meeting between Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar, Minister of Defence Ben Wallace of the UK and Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine, information was exchanged on regional defence and security issues, and the latest developments in Ukraine were discussed. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 75 Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar met with Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine. During the meeting, Minister Akar emphasised the importance of a ceasefire, the urgency of the safe evacuation of civilians from land/sea, particularly in Mariupol, to support the diplomatic solution and prevent further loss of life and that Türkiye will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. 76 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine War, Türkiye car- ried out an intense diplomatic effort with all the international community actors to re-establish peace. Meeting with US Sec- retary of Defence Lloyd James Austin on February 24, 2022, Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar discussed with his counterpart bilateral and regional defence and security issues, especially the latest developments in Ukraine. Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar speaks with Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar discussed the latest developments in Ukraine during the phone call with his Ukrain- ian counterpart on February 25, 2022. Emphasising that Türki- ye was in favour of a humanitarian and pro-peace policy, Akar underlined that Türkiye was ready to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and that it would do its part to maintain peace and tranquillity, as it did before. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 77 Pursuing a pro-peace and proactive foreign policy since the begin- ning of the Ukraine crisis, Türkiye has conducted intense diplo- matic traffic with all the regional and international actors of the crisis. Holding a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, on March 1, 2022, Minister of National Defence Hu- lusi Akar emphasised the urgent need for a ceasefire in Ukraine to improve the humanitarian situation, including evacuations. Akar also underlined that Türkiye would continue to work for peace and humanitarian aid in the region. Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu at the Kalender Pavilion in Istanbul. 78 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 79 P resident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. The call addressed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and the humanitarian situation on the ground. President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye maintained the sincere approach it had been displaying since the very beginning in order for peace to be ensured between Russia and Ukraine. Underscoring that the declaration of a lasting ceasefire would pave the way for a long-term solution, President Erdoğan said that he wholeheartedly wished the negotiations between Rus- sia and Ukraine would yield positive results. C A L L F O R C E A S E F I R E 80 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Stressing that reaching a consensus on certain matters might require leader-level talks, President Erdoğan reiterated his pro- posal for hosting President Putin of Russia and President Volo- dymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in Istanbul or Ankara. Pointing out that the war would benefit no one and that diplo- macy should be given a chance, President Erdoğan drew atten- tion to the need to attach importance to the humanitarian sit- uation on the ground and operate the humanitarian corridors effectively without any problems in both directions. Press statements of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a telephone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in order to reach a ceasefire. President Erdoğan underlined their intensive efforts on the diplomatic track for the restoration of peace between Rus- sia and Ukraine, saying during the phone call that Türkiye’s goal was the establishment of lasting peace rapidly and that continu- ing the war would benefit no one. President Erdoğan added that he would maintain his efforts aimed at bringing President Zelensky of Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin of Russia together. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 81 Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. Following his visit to the Russian Federation, Foreign Minis- ter Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu paid a visit to Ukraine and met with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Lviv on March 17, 2022. In the joint press conference following the meeting, Minister Çavuşoğlu underlined that they expressed once again their sup- port for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and that their efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting ceasefire would continue. In a post shared on his Twitter account, Foreign Minister Kule- ba of Ukraine stated that they discussed Türkiye’s efforts to end the war and said, “We agreed to continue to coordinate our joint steps to establish peace in Ukraine.” Kuleba also said, “We are grateful to Türkiye’s unwavering solidarity in these difficult times.” 82 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met his Rus- sian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, the capital of Rus- sia. Speaking at the press conference held after the meeting, Çavuşoğlu said that Türkiye, “as a country that Russia trusted and respected, openly stated its views on the Ukraine crisis.” Çavuşoğlu stated that since the two countries were “neighbours and friends”, “they had to say what they knew to be true to each other.” Stating that the priority in the talks was to ensure a hu- manitarian ceasefire, Çavuşoğlu said, “We are pleased to meet again here, particularly following Antalya. Since the outbreak of the war and crisis in Ukraine, Türkiye has maintained a firm stance. We addressed our concerns and comments openly and truthfully. We have contributed to the de-escalation of tension and the creation of space for diplomacy, and we have stressed the importance of this on several occasions. Emphasising that Türkiye had been attempting to secure both a humanitarian and a permanent ceasefire since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Çavuşoğlu said, “Regrettably, the devasta- tion and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine have been intensifying since February 24. Thousands of civilians lost their lives, and more than 3 million people left Ukraine. This course of action TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 83 must be halted, as well as the bloodshed. As we have repeatedly stated, there are no winners in war and no losers in peace.” Noting in his statements that Türkiye-Russia ties had been go- ing through crucial tests in recent years, Minister Çavuşoğlu said, “Our leaders maintain a solid discourse based on mutual respect and trust. We believe that this discourse has benefited our bilateral ties, as well as the stability and security of our re- gion, and will continue to do so in the future.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan receives Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany During the first visit of Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany to Türkiye regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, Presi- dent Erdoğan said, “We will persistently continue our efforts in order for a lasting ceasefire to be reached” And stated that they had agreed with Germany that diplomatic efforts for a resolu- tion should be sped up while taking necessary measures for the security of Europe. 84 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with President Vladimir Putin of Russia on March 17, 2022. The call addressed the Russia-Ukraine issue. President Erdoğan stated that he always attached great importance to the close di- alogue developed with President Putin of Russia, which he said yielded favourable outcomes, and that he was determined to maintain this approach. Stressing that Türkiye didn’t recognise the steps that violat- ed Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and that this stance was a matter of principle, President Erdoğan stressed the importance of reaching a solution on the basis of the Minsk Agreements. Underscoring that a military confrontation would benefit no one, President Erdoğan stated that Türkiye, in this spirit, at- tached importance to the continuation of diplomatic talks and stood ready to do its part for the de-escalation of tension and the preservation of peace. Reiterating his call for the resolution of the issue through dia- logue, President Erdoğan said that diplomacy should be priori- tised and that Türkiye maintained its constructive stance with- in NATO as well. TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 85 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Andrzej Duda of Poland President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that Türkiye and Poland agreed on the need to speed up diplomatic efforts to stop the Ukrainian crisis. Press statement of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Türkiye, which has maintained intense diplomatic contacts since the Ukraine-Russia war began on February 24, is stepping up its efforts to achieve a ceasefire and bring the war to an end. 86 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar at the NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar, who met with the journalists following the Extraordinary NATO Defence Minis- ters Meeting and made remarks regarding the agenda, stated that Türkiye continued its activities in response to the develop- ments in Ukraine in a very consistent and principled manner and also reminded that Türkiye had good relations with both Russia and Ukraine. Addressing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s talks with Presi- dent Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelen- sky of Ukraine, Minister Akar said, “By talking with both Mr Zelensky and Mr Putin, our President made a significant effort to resolve the problems without any confrontation.” TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 87 Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar holds a phone conversation with Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine. During the phone call between Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar and Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine, telling his Ukrainian counterpart that the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine were critical for the possibility of a perma- nent solution, Akar said that it was important to declare a cease- fire as soon as possible in order to prevent further loss of life and to ensure peace and stability, and added that Türkiye was ready to do its part to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to es- tablish peace and tranquillity, as it had previously done. 88 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE TÜRKİYE’S STANCE ON THE WAR | 89 MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE 90 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 91 F rom the very beginning, Türkiye has sought to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through multi-dimension- al diplomacy and has called repeatedly for facilitation and mediation in our country’s hosting. Bringing the two countries together for the first time at the level of Foreign Ministers at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), Türkiye of- fered a new paradigm for multi-dimensional, enterprising di- plomacy to strengthen peace, tranquillity, and stability. Our country, which hosted the peace meetings between Russia and Ukraine, has also insisted that the crisis can only be resolved M A I N TA I N I N G O P E N C H A N N E L S O F D I A L O G U E İstanbul Summit 92 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE by maintaining open channels of dialogue during its diplomatic contacts in Moscow and Lviv. Türkiye is in favour of the con- tinuation of the talks and strengthening peace and tranquillity by concluding a permanent ceasefire. Our country maintains all kinds of support in this regard and fully supports the negotia- tions carried out to achieve a ceasefire. In the opening speech of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “Ukraine has been left alone in its rightful cause. We are now facing the destructive and painful outcomes of the issues which could once have been resolved through diplomacy if a strong will had been displayed. Seeing people flee their homes, children in fear and anxiety, the rubble of cities, and innocents dying has made our hearts break even more.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed the Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Türkiye on March 11-13, 2022 MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 93 T he Russia-Ukraine war, one of the most significant crises of the post-Cold War era, is one of the main is- sues that Türkiye is closely concerned about. Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, Türkiye has been engaged in intense diplomatic activity. With the role of ar- bitrator and mediator between the two countries, it serves as a source of balance. As a member of NATO, Türkiye’s stance in the Russia-Ukraine war is based on preventing a broader conflict and maintaining stable relations with both countries. T Ü R K İ Y E A S A S O U R C E O F B A L A N C E 94 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The heavy consequences of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine affect all countries directly or indirectly, and Tür- kiye’s mediation efforts and initiatives since the beginning of the war have been on the agenda of world public opinion and are positively received by other countries. It is also supported by the economic and security organizations of which Türkiye is a member. All across the world, Türkiye’s key role in settling crises like the peace establishment and the grain agreement has been appreciated. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 95 96 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Türkiye’s approach in the Russia-Ukraine war is its policies to prevent the crisis from escalating and becoming more global by assuring regional energy, commercial, economic, and military security. By following an active and impartial policy, Türkiye both increased the contact between the two countries and be- came the most important actor in strengthening regional sta- bility. The core of Türkiye’s active and mediator foreign policy in re- solving this crisis, which affects regional and indirectly inter- national security, is based on peace-oriented principles. Since the beginning of the conflict, Türkiye has offered to serve as a mediator and host peace talks between the two sides but has preferred to maintain neutrality throughout the war due to its cooperative relations with both sides. Following an independent policy regarding the Russian Federation-Ukraine war, Türkiye endeavours to prevent the escalation of tensions and contribute to the resolution of the crisis through diplomatic means. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 97 Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu emphasised that the motto of the Forum, “Think Together, Act Together”, brought together participants from 75 countries, mainly 17 heads of state and government, 80 ministers, and representa- tives from 39 International Organisations. Antalya Diplomacy Forum 98 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the NEST Congress Cen- tre in Antalya as part of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Türkiye engages in human-centred and multi-dimensional di- plomacy to strengthen regional and global peace and stability. The steps Türkiye has taken in light of recent developments re- veal the country’s critical role in NATO once again. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, “We are ex- erting efforts to end the bloodshed, tears and destruction in Ukraine as soon as possible. We believe that problems should be resolved through diplomacy. We are aware that there will be no winner in such wars. We stress that if this war contin- ues, innocent civilians will be the victims.” Our Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu during the tripartite foreign ministers meeting at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 10, 2022. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 99 H O S T I N G P E A C E TA L K S İ S TA N B U L S U M M I T P resident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan noted that at the his- toric summit held in Dolmabahçe, which was attended by the Russian Federation-Ukraine Negotiating Teams, Türkiye demonstrated a fair approach that safeguards the rights, laws, and sensitivities of both sides on all interna- tional platforms. In his speech, President also addressed his col- leagues Putin and Zelensky, whom he calls “friends,” and stated that they are ready to take the necessary steps for the leaders’ summit to be held in Türkiye. 100 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE After delivering his remarks, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with the Negotiating Teams without leaving the room. The Russian and Ukrainian teams applauded President Erdoğan for his constructive attitude. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 101 ANTALYA DIPLOMACY FORUM 102 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Our Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu welcomes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine at the entrance of the meeting hall. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 103 The war between Russia and Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, and tensions between the two countries have escalated steadily. Türkiye has repeatedly called for dialogue, diploma- cy, and common sense throughout this period. The invitation to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum under the mediation of Tür- kiye marked the beginning of the highest-level contact be- tween Russia and Ukraine. Türkiye invited the parties to the Antalya Diplomacy Forum to promote peace and stability. It was hoped that the meeting would end the war between Russia and Ukraine and bring di- plomacy back to the forefront. Türkiye’s invitation and host- ing of this meeting have elevated our country to a position of leadership in international diplomacy. The tripartite foreign ministers meeting at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 10, 2022 104 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Türkiye’s focus is particularly on the humanitarian aspect of the problem. In the region, civilians have been killed, civilian settlements have been attacked, and daily life has become un- tenable. It was Türkiye that brought up the urgent need to res- cue citizens trapped in the conflict zone. Establishing a sus- tainable ceasefire for civilians in the region is one of Türkiye’s priorities. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu welcomes Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine at the entrance of the meeting hall. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 105 Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine said in Antalya, “I want to thank Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. He managed to facilita- te this contact. This is the first contact between Russia and Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs level since Russia’s attacks on Ukraine began.” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia said in Antalya, “There is no substitute for negotiations, and that was made quite clear today. The Turkish side offered to hold this mee- ting. This decision was made as a result of a phone call betwe- en President Erdoğan and Putin. We will support any initi- ative to resolve the Ukraine crisis. There is no substitute for negotiations, and that was made quite clear today.” Türkiye conducts shuttle diplomacy between the two coun- tries to end the war and sign a comprehensive peace agree- ment. All kinds of issues are being discussed, including the reciprocal wishes of the parties, the situation of civilians, opening humanitarian corridors and establishing a ceasefire. Press conference held by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia following the tripartite foreign ministers meeting 106 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The Antalya Diplomacy Forum served as a platform where diplomatic channels could be effectively used to end the Rus- sia-Ukraine war, and the main actors had the opportunity to meet for the first time, hosted by Türkiye. As the foreign ministers of both countries attended, the Fo- rum provided a chance to demonstrate to the world that Tür- kiye has a multi-dimensional and result-oriented perspective rather than unilateral diplomacy. Speaking about the tripartite meeting held at the Antalya Di- plomacy Forum, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, “The fact that the eyes and ears of the world are on An- talya and that both parties particularly want us to attend this meeting is an indication of the trust put in our country. From the very beginning, we have taken a principled and diplomatic stance. We will continue our sincere efforts in this direction.” Regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, Minister of Foreign Affairs Çavuşoğlu said, “After this war began, we exerted considerable effort to completely end it and achieve a lasting ceasefire. We have made efforts for a humanitarian ceasefire of at least 24 hours if wars and conflicts cannot be prevented. We are still making an effort. We had initiatives both in the presence of two countries and the international Antalya Diplomacy Forum MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 107 community, including the United Nations General Secretar- iat and the Secretariat of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We are making efforts together with countries that can play a role and have influence in this re- gard.” Our Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu during the tripartite foreign ministers meeting at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 10, 2022 Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the UN Feridun Sinirlioğlu addresses the UN Security Council 108 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Regarding the recent developments in Ukraine, Türkiye’s Per- manent Representative to the UN Feridun Sinirlioğlu stated that Russia’s aggression was “baseless and unjust.” Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session on Ukraine in New York, Sinirlioğlu described the at- tack on Ukraine as “an act of aggression that is baseless, un- just and unprecedented in history. It is illegal, illicit and unac- ceptable.” Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the UN Office at Geneva Sadık Arslan Permanent Representative of Türkiye to the UN Office at Ge- neva Sadık Arslan stressed that there would be a major crisis in the region if there were no intervention in the Russia-Ukraine war and called on “the consolidation of efforts to stop the war in order to alleviate the Ukrainian people’s suffering.” Stating that Türkiye is vehemently opposed to the change of borders by force, Arslan said, “Türkiye rejects and condemns the un- lawful acts that threaten regional and global security. We call on Russia to stop its military operations and withdraw its forces from Ukraine.” MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 109 A N TA LYA D I P L O M A C Y F O R U M . . . 110 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Our country, which hosted ministers and high-level repre- sentatives from 75 countries at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, has established itself as a guarantor of peace, well-being, and tranquillity in every geography, from the Eastern Mediter- ranean to the Caucasus, from the Balkans to Africa, and the Black Sea. With its visions of 2023, 2053, and 2071, Türkiye will steadfastly remain a source of balance and stability by taking responsibility in regional and global crises. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), which was held in Antalya, Türkiye, on March 11-13, 2022 MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 111 During the Ukraine-Russia War, the invitation of the parties to the Antalya Diplomatic Forum and the realisation of the first contact at the level of foreign ministers demonstrated Türki- ye’s global mediation and leadership in diplomacy once again. While Türkiye plays a critical role in being the key to peace through the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, many issues were discussed by the parties, particularly the importance of not harming civilians in the Russia-Ukraine war. 112 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 113 114 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 115 116 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE While there are disagreements, conflicts, and wars on one side, the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, which focuses on these conflicts and the search for solutions to remedy the human- itarian emergency they cause as soon as possible, will high- light the importance of giving diplomacy a chance under all circumstances. ADF will continue to serve as an interactive and multi-stake- holder discussion platform on the key elements of diplomacy restructuring and the new paradigm that will be shaped in di- plomacy during this change process. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 117 C H R I S T M A S C E A S E F I R E A N D T Ü R K İ Y E T ürkiye, which continues its diplomacy traffic at full pace to bring Russia and Ukraine together, continues to urge a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine crisis. As the most recent step, Russia’s declaration of a tem- porary ceasefire on January 6, 2023, to mark “Orthodox Christ- mas”, has increased Türkiye’s calls for a unilateral and mutual ceasefire. 118 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Erdoğan’s call for local ceasefires to both sides consti- tuted one of the concrete international steps that led to the first ceasefire declaration of 2023. The peaceful and humanitarian policy of Türkiye, which advo- cates for the extension of the ceasefire beyond 36 hours, contin- ues to seek a common ground for the parties to reconcile. Currently, with the the Russia-Ukraine War having completed its first year, the global public opinion appreciates the intense diplomacy traffic conducted by Türkiye with good intentions and consideration for the rights of both sides. MAINTAINING OPEN CHANNELS OF DIALOGUE | 119 ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY 120 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 121 P R O T E C T I O N O F C I V I L I A N E L E M E N T S T ürkiye demonstrates sensitivity towards the tensions in the region and humanitarian crises in the war en- vironment and carries out aid initiatives at the highest level. From the first days of the war between Russia and Ukraine, it invited the two sides to the diplomacy table and offered to mediate between the two countries. 122 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Crises in which diplomatic channels are blocked can turn into humanitarian dramas and tragedies. Conflict and war environ- ments harm the most vulnerable civilian elements. The attack launched by Russia brought the death of hundreds of civilians in Ukraine on the 188th day of the war, the death of 4,889 civil- ians in Ukraine as of 3 million, the displacement of 7.13 million people and making 5.3 million people refugees by crossing the borders. Türkiye has also taken initiatives to protect civilian ele- ments in the war, evacuate victims of war and ensure their safe- ty. In this context, while calling the parties to common sense and a ceasefire, it also reiterated its calls to keep the humanitar- ian aid corridors open for civilians. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 123 The conflicts spread to the cities in a short time and deeply af- fected the Ukrainian people. The war also raised the question of the safety of millions of civilians in the country, with a popula- tion of approximately 44 million. Where and how hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Ukraine will migrate should be considered a crisis item that can affect many countries in the region and the world. Along with its own citizens, Türkiye con- tinues to be in contact with the parties in order to ensure the peace and security of all civilians, regardless of language, reli- gion and race, with its past and present humanitarian approach. 124 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Our country has shown an exemplary attitude in terms of mo- bilizing the world, especially regarding the civilians fleeing the conflict zones and evacuating and directing the victims through official channels. Since the beginning of the crisis, Türkiye has adopted an approach to keep transportation points open in order to transfer civilians to safe zones. Moreover, our authorities continue to invite the parties to meet on the basis of negotiation and reconciliation in order to protect the priority groups in conflicts. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 125 Turkish people have a strong tradition of humanitarian aid stemming from their deep-rooted history and culture. In this context, Türkiye considers helping countries in challenging situations caused by natural disasters, war, poverty and social conflicts as a humanitarian duty and an important element in the stability of the international community. Based on this idea, Türkiye, which strives to deliver humanitarian aid to the need- ed places as quickly as possible, regardless of race, religion, lan- guage or gender, also contributes to international efforts in this direction. The fact that civilians are stuck in the war makes it necessary for the countries of the region and the world to take responsibil- ity for putting an end to the conflicts. 126 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE In addition to being appreciated around the world for its efforts, Türkiye became a centre of diplomacy in its region. Our coun- try’s efforts are aimed at preventing civilian casualties in war and preventing permanent damage to people. Türkiye has come to the aid of the people of Ukraine with its many organisations and has come to the fore as the country that has carried out the most humanitarian aid activities compared to the per capita income since the very beginning of the conflict. Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the following statements regarding the diplomatic bottleneck, and the civilians forced to leave their homes: ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 127 “Ukraine was left alone in its rightful cause. Today, we are deal- ing with the catastrophic and painful repercussions of situations that could have been addressed diplomatically if a strong will had been demonstrated on time. Our sorrow grows immensely as we see the civilians leaving their homes, children full of fear and anxiety, cities in ruins, innocents dying. A mother holds her child with tears in her eyes. I saw the child wiping his mother’s tears away. He wiped the tears away while comforting her moth- er, caressing her face. Is the world condemned to this picture?” Türkiye took immediate action with an urgent call for help to aid and keep civilians alive. Türkiye has begun to take out humani- tarian relief actions first-hand, with the cooperation of relevant agencies and organisations, under the coordination of AFAD. 128 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Under the supervision of AFAD, Türkiye dispatched a total of 45 trucks, including 39 trucks of humanitarian aid, to Ukraine and Moldova. The AFAD Humanitarian Aid Team of ten person- nel were sent to work in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania’s Siret Border Point in order to identify humanitarian needs, carry out humanitarian aid operations, and coordinate the aid delivered from our country. The AFAD Humanitarian Aid Team assigned on February 26, 2022, completed its work at the Romanian Siret border point and returned to our country on May 6, 2022. To date, approx- imately 111,000 food items/materials have been distributed at the said border point. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 129 3 personnel, 1 vehicle and 1 catering vehicle, assigned by the Red Crescent to carry out aid activities and to coordinate the hu- manitarian aid materials dispatched from our country, continue to work in Moldova and Ukraine. The shipment of humanitarian aid materials of 11 vehicles pro- vided by the Georgian State for the needy in Ukraine has been coordinated via our country. 130 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE From the very first moment of the war, Türkiye has been strug- gling to reduce the casualties as much as possible. Türkiye took action by taking measures to ensure that our citizens and all ci- vilian elements were evacuated safely, using strategic planning to benefit from all air, land, train, and sea routes. The process, which began with Turkish Airlines planes in Ukraine, pro- gressed to include railway and highway. Coordination with the active forces in the region was established during the rescue of the civilian citizens, and their evacuation is ongoing as planned. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 131 A FAD has sent aid trucks consisting of food, blankets, mattresses, hygiene materials and tents to the region in order to meet the urgent humanitarian needs in Ukraine since the second day of the war, continuing to work devotedly for our people in our country and all human- ity beyond the borders. T Ü R K I Y E ’ S H U M A N I TA R I A N A I D T O U K R A I N E Romania-Ukraine border, Siret Border Gate, humanitarian aid and hot meal distribution by the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD). 132 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Soup distribution by AFAD to war victims on the Ukrainian border Humanitarian aid packages given to Ukrainian civilians arriving in Romania Guided by the principles of kindness and compassion, Türkiye continued to offer hot meals to those who crossed the border de- spite the cold weather in the region. Regardless of the challeng- ing circumstances, Türkiye worked tirelessly to ensure that not only humans but all living things that breathe do not suffer. Türkiye has been standing by humanity in all conditions since the beginning of the war, without boundaries, and is mobilizing to meet the needs of war victims in challenging situations. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 133 While Russia continues to attack Ukraine, Ukrainian civilians who flee the country and arrive in Romania are met by AFAD teams after crossing the border gate, and their basic needs, such as food, clothing, transportation, and shelter, are met. Romania-Ukraine border, Siret Border Gate, delivery of humanitarian aid and hot meal by AFAD Türkiye, which is continuing its diplomatic efforts to improve peace and stability, is not ignoring the humanitarian aspect of the war. AFAD, which provides aid without making a distinc- tion between Turkish nationals and foreigners, offers soup and hot meals to both Turkish citizens and Ukrainian war victims on a 24-hour basis. Under the coordination of AFAD, 1 mobile food truck served hot meals on March 12-18, 2022, at the Romania-Ukraine Siret bor- der post between March 20 - May 25, 2022, in Lviv, Ukraine; and between May 26 - August 15, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. The said service has been relocated to the Chernihiv region of Ukraine as of August 19, 2022. An AFAD team of 3 people is in the region to coordinate the management and activities of the mobile food truck. 134 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The Turkish Red Crescent convoy set out to bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine Türkiye has been working diligently to offer relief since the first day, with the goal of establishing a world of peace as its motive. With the relief convoys it sent to support Ukraine during Rus- sia’s military intervention, the Turkish Red Crescent has once again proved that it stands by humanity in all situations. Trucks transporting aid materials from the Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD The Turkish people, who extended Anatolia’s caring hand to oppressed people, took action to deliver humanitarian aid ma- terials to the Ukrainian people in order to help heal the war’s wounds. Trucks transporting humanitarian aid materials were transported to Ukraine by the Turkish Red Crescent and AFAD. On the day the armed conflicts began, the Ukrainian Humani- tarian Aid Operation was initiated by the Turkish Red Crescent upon the request of the Ukrainian Red Cross. Humanitarian aid supplies were dispatched by land in 16 lots, with a total of 62 trucks (56 trucks to Ukraine and 6 trucks to Moldova). ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 135 Aids delivered to war victims in Ukraine by the Turkish Red Crescent The Turkish Red Crescent, which is always seeking to heal the wounds of Ukraine’s war victims, continues to provide aid sup- plies such as food, shelter, clothing, and health and hygiene items to war victims in areas where the Ukrainian Red Cross is unable to provide enough assistance. The Turkish Red Crescent, in coordination with the Ukrainian Red Cross, meets all kinds of needs of those who try to live in shelters in conflict and border areas. Turkish Red Crescent distributes aid to civilians affected by the war in Ukraine. The Turkish Red Crescent, which connects people’s hearts and rushes to help regardless of the circumstances, does its utmost to mitigate the impact of this time on civilians and prevent their wounds from deepening. 136 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The Turkish Red Crescent teams offering treats to those coming from Ukraine Türkiye, which has been working under the human-oriented principle since the beginning of the crisis, extends a caring hand to the Ukrainian war victims. Despite the heavy snowfall, AFAD continued to distribute humanitarian assistance and hot meals at the Siret Border Gate on the Romanian-Ukraine border, ex- tending Türkiye’s helping hand to war victims. In terms of health, Türkiye has extended a helping hand to the region. 10 professionals assigned by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Türkiye provided healthcare services for people affected by conflicts at Romania’s Siret Border Post between March 4 and April 1, 2022. Hosting Ukrainian hearing-impaired athletes stranded in Türkiye The Turkish Deaf Sports Federation (TİESF) announced that the Ukrainian national hearing-impaired football and basket- ball teams, who were in Türkiye during the war, would be host- ed in Tekirdağ. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 137 Ukrainian truck drivers who were unable to return to their home countries were hosted in Antalya Ukrainian truck drivers, who came to Türkiye to bring goods exported to Ukraine but were unable to return due to the war, are being hosted in Antalya’s Kumluca district. The Kumluca Municipality and the owners of export companies welcomed Ukrainian truck drivers. The Turkish Red Crescent organises activities for children who are victims of war. Following Russia’s declaration of war on Ukraine, the Turkish Red Crescent Child Programme Coordinatorship organizes mo- rale-boosting events for the children of families housed in the Credit and Hostels Institution in Kırklareli. 138 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 139 U krainian and Russian delegations met in Belarus on February 28 for the first round of talks on the Rus- sian-Ukrainian War. The first round of talks, which lasted 5 hours and took place in the Gomel region, yielded no concrete results. K E E P I N G T H E H U M A N I TA R I A N C O R R I D O R S O P E N 140 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The second round of talks was planned to ensure a ceasefire. On March 3, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations met again in Brest, near the Belarussian border, for the second round of talks. Following the talks, it was announced that an agreement had been reached to establish joint humanitarian corridors to evac- uate civilians in conflict zones, as well as a temporary ceasefire in these zones. However, the ceasefire could not be fully established, and prob- lems arose during the evacuation of the civilians. Civilians were injured by bombings during the evacuation. The air strikes on Sumy killed 9 civilians, two of whom were children. Countries stepped in to mediate between the parties for the construction of evacuation corridors for civilians. Although the ceasefire was often violated in civilian evacuation corridors, as many civilians as possible were evacuated in a short period of time. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 141 While Ukraine shares a border with Russia in the east, it shares a border with Belarus in the north, which cooperates with Rus- sia. Therefore, it was decided to open a corridor toward the bor- ders with Poland, Romania and Moldova in order to evacuate civilians. Türkiye has repeatedly urged all parties to keep the evacuation corridors open to avoid harming civilians and to ad- here to the ceasefire in these corridors. These calls were made through Türkiye’s diplomatic representation in Ukraine as well as by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. 142 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE It was almost a month since the war between Russia and Ukraine had begun. One of the most important issues discussed in the meetings between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine was the evacuation corridors to be opened for the evacuation of civilians. Ukraine announced its plan to evacuate civilians through nine humanitarian corridors. Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Veresh- chuk of Ukraine stated that humanitarian corridors would be built in 9 cities, including the severely damaged port city of Mariupol. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 143 Humanitarian aid corridors are critical for civilian evacuations as well as food and medicine supply. It is necessary to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground for civilians who re- fuse to leave or who remain in the region to defend their country. Türkiye has assumed responsibility for this matter and has ex- tended all forms of assistance to the region. Numerous institu- tions and organisations, most notably the Turkish Red Crescent, AFAD, and TİKA, have provided assistance. Türkiye has also taken immediate steps to protect Turkish cit- izens in Ukraine and Russia. Prior to the outbreak of the war, all Turkish citizens in Ukraine were contacted individually and measures to protect them were taken swiftly. 144 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated the following regarding the steps taken to evacuate Turkish citizens from Ukraine as a result of the escalating tensions: “Since February 12, when it became clear that the situation in the region was on the verge of escalating into a major conflict, 20 thousand Turkish citizens in Ukraine have been contacted and warned via their registered contact numbers with our dip- lomatic missions. Additionally, on February 22, we urged our citizens in eastern Ukraine to flee the region immediately. Turk- ish Airlines provided frequent flights on wide-body aircraft for Turkish citizens and other nationals who want to flee Ukraine.” We are offering every assistance to citizens of friendly and brotherly countries who request evacuation from us. We contin- ue to monitor the status of Turkish flag ships in Ukrainian ports and our trucks on Ukrainian territory. Depending on develop- ments and requests, we will continue our evacuation operations through multiple channels.” Since the beginning of the war, Türkiye has exerted efforts to keep humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians open. Each of our approximately 25,000 citizens in Ukraine was contacted individually. Within the first two months of the war, we evacuated more than 15 thousand of our citizens from the region. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 145 From February 24 to the beginning of April, 20 thousand 550 Ukrainian citizens, 551 Crimean Tatars, and Ahiska Turks en- tered our country. Throughout history, Türkiye has prioritised the protection of ci- vilians. Türkiye calls for the protection of civilians and compli- ance with human rights in all circumstances, within the bounds of international law, and is committed to meeting all of its re- sponsibilities. Türkiye supports the establishment of humanitarian corridors for both evacuations and basic needs, as well as safeguarding these areas. 146 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE It is our greatest wish that the multi-faceted diplomacy initia- tives launched under our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership will bear fruit quickly and contribute to regional peace and tranquillity by establishing a ceasefire between the parties. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 147 A ccording to the announcement made by the Sochi Port Authority of Russia on March 19, the Ukrainian army reportedly dropped 420 “YM” and “YRM” type mines in the Black Sea against Russia in the port dis- tricts of Odesa, Ochakov, Chernomorsk and Yuzhny, which were torn off their mounts and drifting freely in the sea, and could pose a threat to commercial ships, particularly those operating in the western Black Sea. Russia has also issued a “Coastal Warn- ing” via the international NAVAREA system for this threat. Fol- lowing these incidents, the concern of ensuring the Black Sea’s security rose to the top of the agenda of the international public. E N S U R I N G T H E B L A C K S E A’ S S E C U R I T Y 148 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The Turkish Naval Forces Command subsequently issued a warning via the NAVTEX that mines could pose a threat. The Turkish Naval Forces Command has begun deactivating stray mines by employing mine-hunting ships and seaborne air com- ponents. The first mine detected in our country was found in the Bos- phorus on March 26, 2022, and it was destroyed by the Under- water Defence Group (SAS) teams dispatched to the region. Our Minister of National Defence, Hulusi Akar, made the following remarks on this issue: “A commercial ship off the Bosphorus reported spotting a “mine-like object” in the morning. Our units were already engaged in active patrols and missions in those regions. The units of the underwater defence (SAS) were promptly sent to the scene. After it was determined that the object in question was a mine, (the mine) was moved to a safe location. Our SAS team neutralized the mine, which was determined to be an old model as a result of the investigation. We discussed the mat- ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 149 ter with both Russian and Ukrainian officials. Our coopera- tion is ongoing. For the secure continuation of marine traffic, necessary coordination was conducted with the Coast Guard and other relevant institutions and organisations, particu- larly our Naval Forces. The necessary measures were taken. Maritime traffic continues securely. Our Navy’s marine and air units are vigilantly following the activities and continuing their work.” The mine-hunting and scanning ship TCG Akçakoca (M-268) of the Naval Forces Command also passed through the Bosphorus to take part in the search for additional potential threats after the mine, determined to be an old type as a result of the inves- tigation carried out by the SAS team in the Bosphorus, was de- stroyed. Our country has tightened security measures due to the mine threat in the Bosphorus. First, in this context, fishing between Bulgaria and Kefken was suspended. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reacted to the mine threat and said, “All forms of fishing, including small-boat an- gling, are prohibited between Bulgaria and Kefken in the Black Sea from sunset to sunrise until further notice.” 150 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Following the incident in the Bosphorus, a second mine was detected off the coast of İğneada on March 28, 2022, and neu- tralised by SAS teams. Once the mine they had spotted was neutralized, fishermen in the region returned to the port out of precaution. The minesweeper “TCG Amasra” kept looking for mines off İğneada after the mine detected in the region was destroyed. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 151 The Naval Forces Command’s minesweeper “TCG Amasra” kept up its mine-hunting operations off the shore of the Demirköy dis- trict of Kırklareli’s İğneada district, which borders the Black Sea. During this process, the units under the Naval Forces Command stepped up their reconnaissance and surveillance activities. Following the destruction of the mine off İğneada, the Ministry of National Defence made the following statement: “As part of mine investigation operations in the Western Black Sea (Bos- phorus approach waters), our marine and air units of our Naval Forces continue their observation and surveillance mission.” Regarding our country’s stance in the fight against mines, Min- ister of National Defence Hulusi Akar said: “All our maritime patrol aircraft and mine hunting vessels are alert. Every report received is instantly assessed, and the necessary action is taken. Mines that are detected are quickly destroyed safely.” 152 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE “Everyone is focused on any potential mines that are visible. Quick intervention is made following detection. SAS teams are transported to the region for intervention by sea or air hel- icopter. The mines are promptly destroyed, either on-site or by moving to a safe location. The Turkish Armed Forces have successfully dominated the fight against mines. Thankfully, everyone could see that our efforts were massively successful.” As a result of our country’s efforts to detect and destroy mines before harming anyone, on 06.04.2022, after a mine was de- tected by the maritime patrol aircraft off Kefken, the area was secured, and SAS teams affiliated with the Naval Forces Com- mand were dispatched, and the said mine was safely defused. Thanks to our country’s successful policy on mines, no mine-re- lated loss of life or property has occurred in the Black Sea re- gion. Finally, our Minister of National Defense, Hulusi Akar, said in his statement, “If there is a need for demining, planning will be conducted in accordance with an agreement between the parties, and actions will be taken accordingly. However, at this stage, there is no need for demining in this regard.” ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 153 154 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 155 A dopting a discourse and action in line with the prin- ciples of international law and foreign policy since the very first day of the crisis between Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye has become a leading actor in ob- serving the most basic and priority regulations of international law in an environment where the crisis is getting worse day by day and despite the ineffectiveness of the current international system. In this regard, the meetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the Heads of State of both countries had a deci- sive influence on the establishment and functioning of the ne- gotiations on the prisoner swap deal between the two countries. P R I S O N E R S WA P S 156 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE On this basis, the exchange of more than 200 prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine occurred on September 21, 2022, as a consequence of the intense diplomacy traffic of our Pres- ident. Following the swap in question, statements of appreci- ation and gratitude were received from the official authorities of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as well as from inter- national and regional organisations, regarding Türkiye’s diplo- matic initiatives and achievements. In his statement, UN Secre- tary-General Guterres directly emphasised Türkiye’s role and expressed his gratitude. The exchanges continued with mutual negotiations between the two countries following the first comprehensive prison- er swap deal between the parties, which was carried out with the active and effective approach that Türkiye has maintained since the beginning of the crisis on the basis of humanitarian di- plomacy principles. Ukraine’s Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories declared that 1596 Ukrainian citizens were released in 2022 as part of prisoner swaps with Russia. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 157 Türkiye has sustained its sensitivity and initiatives in this regard in 2023, as well. At the international conference titled “The Future of Human Rights in the 21st Century” held by the Ombudsman Institution in Ankara, Russian High Commission- er for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova and Ombudsman of Ukraine Dmytro Lubinets came together under the auspices of Chief Ombudsman Şeref Malkoç, and they conveyed the good- will statements of the two countries on the prisoner swaps. In this regard, according to the statements made by the relevant institutions of the two countries, the swaps between the parties will continue in the first days of 2023. 158 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 159 O ne of the most significant manifestations of the Rus- sia-Ukraine crisis has been in the field of foodstuffs due to Ukraine’s important role in grain production and exports. The inability of ships carrying grain, particularly wheat, to leave Ukrainian ports was perceived as a harbinger of a global food crisis. Following a policy of peace- ful diplomacy since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, Türkiye has not been indifferent to this crisis, which has the potential to affect the entire world and has taken various initi- atives in response. Following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s meetings with President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Türkiye took the initiative to find a solu- tion. In accordance with the President’s diplomatic initiatives, the Ministry of National Defence and other ministries, institu- tions, and organisations began to collaborate. Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar held numerous meet- ings with Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu of Russia and Minis- ter of Defence Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine as part of the efforts. Subsequently, a direct contact line was established between Türkiye, which is widely perceived as a “red line,” and Ukraine and Russia. Within the framework of “red line” diplomacy, each country designated a general, and after the United Nations T Ü R K İ Y E ’ S L E A D I N G R O L E I N O P E N I N G A N D M A I N TA I N I N G T H E G R A I N C O R R I D O R 160 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE (UN) made an assignment, the negotiations started bilaterally. In this context, the first step was taken in Moscow on June 21. After the meeting of military delegations in Moscow, the ship “Azov Concord” departed from Mariupol. Afterwards, military delegations from the defence ministries of Türkiye, Russia and Ukraine and the UN delegations held their first quadrilateral meeting at İstanbul’s Kalender Pavilion on July 13. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has advanced the process by holding separate meetings with the heads of state of Russia and Ukraine, and the parties, Russia, Ukraine and the UN, came to- gether to overcome the crisis under the leadership of Türkiye. “Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports Document” was signed between Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine, and the United Nations (UN) on July 22, 2022, under the auspices of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also attended the signing ceremony of the said document. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 161 President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech before the signing ceremony of the “Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports Document” and highlighted the importance of diplomacy. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also attended the sign- ing ceremony of the said document. 162 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE During the ceremony held at the Presidential Working Office in Dolmabahçe, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar on be- half of Türkiye, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu on behalf of Russia, Minister of Infrastructure Aleksandr Kubrakov on be- half of Ukraine, and Secretary-General António Guterres, who witnessed the signing ceremony on behalf of the UN, signed the document regarding the shipment of grain products from Ukrainian ports. With the deal signed by the parties in Istanbul, a potential food crisis was averted, and many international actors praised our President’s role in this process. Numerous nations, notably the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, have is- sued messages of congratulations and gratitude to Türkiye and our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for the deal that would enable the safe transportation of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 163 164 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE The deal signed in İstanbul stipulated that grain products would be transported through three Ukrainian ports. In ad- dition, under the terms of the agreement, it was decided to es- tablish a Joint Coordination Centre in İstanbul and coordinate grain shipments from this location. The Joint Coordination Centre, which was established on the campus of the National Defence University in İstanbul on July 27, 2022, had its inauguration ceremony and commenced oper- ations in the aftermath of the agreement. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 165 166 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar, who spoke during the inauguration ceremony, provided the following details on the centre’s activities: “The duty of the centre is to ensure the safe maritime transporta- tion of grain and similar foodstuffs exported from the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Yuhzny. The centre comprises five military and civilian personnel, each from Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine, and the United Nations. This centre is not affiliated with any military entity in the field. This centre will register and track the merchant vessels that will be a part of this initiative, technically monitor the passage of these vessels by satellite, the internet, and other means of communication, and coordinate all of its activities with the UN and the other parties. At locations deemed appropriate during loading in Ukrainian ports and upon arrival in Turkish ports, the vessels will be inspected by joint inspection teams. If demining is required, planning will be done as agreed by the parties, and action will be taken accord- ingly. However, there is no need for demining at this period. The instrument signed by the parties is valid for 120 days and shall ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 167 continue and be renewed unless one of the parties requests ter- mination. This centre will also be able to monitor the movements of all merchant vessels in the Black Sea using Türkiye’s national infrastructure and other resources, and it will be possible to hold one-on-one meetings with other institutions and organisations.” The first vessel departing from Ukraine arrived in İstanbul af- ter the signing of the “Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports.” The vessel Razo- ni, carrying corn from Odesa Port to Tripoli Port of Lebanon, initially anchored in the Bosphorus for inspections before con- tinuing on its route. Since the first grain-laden vessel passed through İstanbul, the transit of vessels has continued without interruption. Grain-lad- en vessels departing Ukrainian ports arrive safely at various ports around the world. 168 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE According to data released by the UN’s Joint Coordination Cen- tre for the Black Sea Grain Initiative in İstanbul, Türkiye is one of the leading countries in the export of grain and foodstuffs from Ukraine. From August 1 to December 25, grain-laden ves- sels departed the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Yuhzny/Pivdennyi, carrying a total of 15 million tones of grain. In the ranking of countries transporting the most grain, Türki- ye ranks second after Spain with 2.2 million tons. 44% of the grain shipments from Ukraine went to Europe, 29% to Asia, 15% to Türkiye and 12% to Africa. The vessel “Arizona,” transporting corn from Ukraine, arrived in İskenderun Bay. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 169 170 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE From August 1, when the first vessel carrying grain left Ukrainian ports, to December 25, roughly 15 million tonnes of goods were exported from Ukrainian ports. Corn accounted for the biggest proportion of shipping goods at 42 per cent, followed by wheat at 29 per cent, canola at 7 per cent, and sunflower oil at 6 per cent. According to the International Grains Council data, the war caused an increase in the prices of wheat on global markets. Throughout the year, wheat prices jumped by 40 per cent com- pared to January 2022. Following the announcement of the Grain Deal signing process, wheat prices began a downward trend, but they remained at the same level in November 2022. In addition, despite a partial increase in prices as a result of Rus- sia’s decision to suspend the deal at the end of October 2022, the deal was resumed thanks to Türkiye’s initiatives, resulting in a return to the previous price level. Thus, the significance of Türkiye’s initiatives throughout the process once again became apparent. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 171 Ukrainian farmers expressed gratitude to Türkiye. 172 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 173 S ince the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, our na- tion, which has adopted a pro-peace stance, has engaged in numerous initiatives in the sphere of public diploma- cy, in addition to its diplomatic efforts to achieve peace between the parties. Our nation, one of the few that can estab- lish a dialogue with both sides of the crisis, has taken several measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Fenerbahçe vs Shakhtar Donetsk for ‘Peace’ Fenerbahçe and Shakhtar Donetsk played a friendly match as part of the “Shakhtar Donetsk Global Tour,” which was intend- ed to promote and contribute to the issue of peace in Ukraine. P U B L I C D I P L O M A C Y T O S E C U R E P E A C E A N D S TA B I L I T Y 174 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Before the commencement of the “Football for Peace” match at Ülker Stadium, the Turkish and Ukrainian national anthems were played, and a minute of silence was held for those who lost their lives during the war in Ukraine. The proceeds from the match, which was also watched by Ukrainian football fans, were donated to children and adults affected by the war. The match was watched by 11,781 ticketed fans and generated 5 million Ukrainian hryvnias (2.5 million Turkish liras). ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 175 Galatasaray vs Dynamo Kyiv for a charity football match for children in Ukraine Galatasaray and Dynamo Kyiv of Ukraine competed in a char- ity match for children affected by the war in Ukraine. The two teams played a charity match with the slogan “Match for Peace” at Nef Stadium. Before the commencement of the match, which was also watched by Ukrainian football fans in the stadium, a minute of silence was held for those who lost their lives during the war in Ukraine, and Dynamo Kyiv football players carried the Ukraini- an flag during the ceremony before the match. 176 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE “Football for Peace” in Antalya: Antalyaspor vs Shakhtar Donetsk for ‘Peace’ Fraport TAV Antalyaspor played Shakhtar Donetsk in a special match on April 25, 2022. The match played as part of the “Shakhtar Donetsk Global Tour” initiated by Shakhtar Donetsk Club to promote and contribute to the issue of peace in Ukraine was played at the Antalya Sta- dium. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 177 The proceeds from the match were donated to aid war victims and children. 178 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Ukrainian Paralympic Swimming Team Fleeing the War Starts Preseason Training in Istanbul The Ukrainian Paralympic Swimming Team prepared for the Paris Paralympic Games in Istanbul due to the war in their country. On February 17, seven athletes and three coaches aged 8 to 24 who were war victims arrived in İstanbul for the camp. During their camp, the athletes resided at the Kasımpaşa Sports Club facilities. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 179 In addition, the materials they needed were provided to the ath- letes preparing for the Paris Paralympic Games. 12 Athletes from the Youth Academies of Ukrainian Football Clubs Travel to Kayseri Twelve athletes who played in the youth academies of Ukraini- an football teams fled their cities due to the Ukraine-Russia war and arrived in Kayseri under the supervision of the Clubs Union Foundation. 180 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Twelve children and one parent, who came to Türkiye from the war-ravaged regions of Ukraine, were hosted in Kayserispor club facilities. A statement by Kayserispor voiced hope that the conditions in Ukraine would return to normal as soon as possible and that the young athletes would get rid of this traumatic period in a short time, adding, “As Yukatel Kayserispor Club, we would like to as- sure that we’re always ready to host them if they wish to stay here with us.” 131 Athletes from the Youth Academies of Ukrainian Foot- ball Clubs Came to Trabzon Due to the Ukraine-Russia War, 131 athletes from the youth acad- emies of Ukrainian football teams fled their cities and arrived in Trabzon under the supervision of the Clubs Union Foundation. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 181 Board members of Trabzonspor and Çaykur Rizespor welcomed the athletes who played in the youth academies of the football teams in their cities. Tatyana Nesterenko, the leader of the group, who came with the athletes from Ukraine, expressed her gratitude to Türkiye for providing assistance to the children and Ukraine in difficult times. 182 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Ukraine National Team Convoy Hosted in Bursa is Grateful to Türkiye The National Deaf Orienteering Team of Ukraine, who were un- able to return to their country due to the Russia-Ukraine War, was hosted in İnegöl, Bursa. A group of 16 people were hosted in the bungalows in the Na- ture Sports and Tourism Centre of İnegöl Municipality, which also provided the guests with three meals per day and catered to their personal and special needs. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 183 CoHE Opened the Doors of Turkish Universities for Ukrain- ian Academics President of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE), Prof Erol Özvar, stated that the doors of Türkiye are open to Ukrainian academics who are forced to flee their country due to the war and want to continue their scientific research. Özvar said, “Currently, hundreds of foreign scientists in our country are actively contributing to Türkiye’s knowledge, univer- sity education and student training. Our doors are open to any Ukrainian and international scientists who seek a safe haven and wish to continue their scientific research in peace. We wish to con- vey that they may find happiness in Türkiye.” 184 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE A Concert was Held for Ukrainian Citizens in Antalya Ruslana gave a concert in Antalya to support the Ukrainian peo- ple affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine. The Ukrainian singer Ruslana, who won the Eurovision Song Contest held in Istanbul in 2004, attended the charity fair or- ganised by the Consulate of Ukraine in Antalya and the Antalya Ukrainian Expats Community as part of the “Childhood With- out War” project at the Abdullah Sevimçok Civil Society and In- novation Centre (ASSİM). ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 185 A Charity Concert was Held for Ukrainian Citizens in Antalya A violin and piano recital was held in Antalya to support the Ukrainian people affected by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Bilkent Symphony Orchestra violinist Yevgeniy Kostrytskyy and pianist Rustam Rahmedov took the stage at the concert held at Atatürk Cultural Centre under the leadership of the Ukrainian Family Association, the Mediterranean Ukrainians Association and the Ukrainian Culture and Art Association. 186 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Jamala Wants to Inform the World of Events in Ukraine The 2016 Eurovision winner, Crimean Tatar singer Jamala, made the Ukrainian people’s voices heard from İstanbul. The singer, who fled Kyiv with her two children at the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine War, first arrived in Ternopil, then travelled to Türkiye via Romania as the situation escalated, said, “I also feel like a part of Türkiye. I feel like a part of Türkiye due to the similarities in language, religion and culture. Of course, I could not even imagine moving to another country as my family and sister were already here.” ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 187 YEE President Ateş: Nearly 5 Thousand Ukrainians Study Turkish in Türkiye President of Yunus Emre Institute (YEE), Prof. Şeref Ateş, made a statement about the institute’s current and future activities, saying, “At the moment, Antalya is home to over 1,200 orphans. Throughout this process, we engage in a variety of cultural and artistic activities to support their Turkish learning while also en- suring their personal development and psychological well-being. At the same time, many Turkologists have fled to Türkiye from Ukraine. We have prepared Turkish language education kits for Ukrainians who have travelled to Türkiye or live in different countries around the world by engaging these Turkologists, and we teach Turkish via distance Turkish language training.” Ateş added, “Nearly 5 thousand Ukrainians are currently stud- ying Turkish in Türkiye. They take distance Turkish language classes occasionally and learn Turkish in Türkiye in various ways. This figure is expected to rise gradually.” 188 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE Ukrainian Children Use Games to Help Them Forget About Bad Days Some of the families that fled their cities in Ukraine and came to Türkiye, where they found safety, were housed in the dormitory of the Student Loans and Dormitories Institution, which was or- ganised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For Crimean Tatar Turks and Meskhetian Turks living in the dormitory, the majority of whom are children, Kırklareli Gover- norship has provided many facilities, including a game room and movie theatre, a health room, a dining hall, and an internet room. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 189 Several Events Organised for Ukrainian Children, Victims of War Children who have been victims of war receive sports training in Gölbaşı, Ankara. Ukraine’s champion children, who are war victims, continue their education in Antalya. 190 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE In collaboration with the Metropolitan Municipality and the Pro- vincial Directorate of Migration Management, a morale-boost- ing event was organised for families and their children who sought refuge in Türkiye and came to Bursa as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine. 400 children and their families, who had relocated to Bursa due to the Russia-Ukraine war, attended the children’s festival held at the Görükle Campus of Bursa Ul- udağ University. Deputy Minister of Family and Social Services Rıdvan Duran met with Ukrainian orphans who had been evacuated from the war zone and brought to Sakarya. ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 191 Ukrainian orphans for whom Türkiye opened its doors due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine enjoyed the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day celebration. First Lady Emine Erdoğan, the spouse of President Recep Tayy- ip Erdoğan, hosted the Ukrainian children, war victims of mem- bers of the Crimean Family Association based in Kyiv at the if- tar (fast-breaking) dinner at the Presidential Complex, who are hosted in Türkiye by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Re- lated Communities (YTB). 192 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 193 P resident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has been carry- ing out active diplomatic traffic since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine crisis and working to resolve it peacefully, paid a working visit to Ukraine on August 18, 2022. Following a tête-à-tête with Ukrainian President Zelensky at the Pototsky Palace, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Zelensky and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. T Ü R K İ Y E ’ S C O N T R I B U T I O N T O T H E R E C O N S T R U C T I O N O F WA R - A F F E C T E D R E G I O N S 194 | TÜRKİYE’S CONTRIBUTION TO STABILITY: MULTI-DIMENSIONAL DIPLOMACY FOR PEACE ENTERPRISING AND HUMANITARIAN DIPLOMACY | 195 Following the meeting, our President held a joint press confer- ence with Zelensky and Guterres. One of the topics discussed during our President’s visit to Ukraine was the reconstruction of Ukraine following the devas- tation caused by the war. In this context, Türkiye and Ukraine signed an agreement to re- build Ukraine’s infrastructure, which had been destroyed by the war. The agreement was signed by Ukrainian Minister of Infra- structure Oleksandr Kubrakov and Turkish Minister of Trade Mehmet Muş. With the agreement, the two countries will establish a Task Force for Ukraine’s reconstruction. The task force will coordinate the works for reconstructing social and economic infrastructure in Ukraine, such as roads, bridges, water and electricity infrastructure, hospitals, and schools. Türkiye’s Contribution to Stability: Multi-Dimensional Diplomacy For Peace