Hulusi Akar stresses urgent need for cease-fire to improve humanitarian situation in Ukraine, including evacuations
The Turkish defense minister on Tuesday told his Russian counterpart there is an urgent need for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine.
In a statement, the Turkish Defense Ministry said that Hulusi Akar spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu.
Discussing the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, Akar stressed the urgent need for a cease-fire to improve the humanitarian situation there, including evacuations.
Turkey will continue to work for peace and humanitarian aid in the region and is ready to do its part for this purpose, the statement added.
Since Russia's war on Ukraine began last Thursday, it has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.
So far, at least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed and 400 others, including 26 children, have been injured in Ukraine, according to UN figures.
Nearly 680,000 people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries, the UN Refugee Agency said on Tuesday.
