Polish prime minister urges Turkey to play key role in Ukrainian peace process

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday proposed that Turkey take an active role in initiating peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. 

At a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, Tusk said both Turkey and Poland have wanted peace since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.  

Tusk added that Warsaw welcomed talks held in Saudi Arabia this week – in which Ukraine agreed to a US-proposed immediate one-month ceasefire pending Moscow’s acceptance.  

“Our goal is to stabilise the region. We need to rebuild Ukraine,” he said. “This is an opportunity for both Polish and Turkish companies."

Following a meeting between the two leaders in which they discussed bilateral and global issues, Erdoğan told reporters that Turkey and Poland are key allies positioned on the eastern and southern flanks of NATO. 

The two countries command the alliance’s two largest ground armies in Europe. 

Erdoğan also emphasised that Turkey's membership in the EU is a strategic goal. 

“If the European Union wants to prevent and even reverse its loss of power and altitude, it can only do so with Turkey’s full membership,” he said.