Turkey says any Ukraine peacekeeping hinges first on ceasefire

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ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkey believes a ceasefire must first be secured between Russia and Ukraine before it and other states take any decisions on a peacekeeping mission as part of security guarantees for Ukraine, a defence ministry source said on Thursday.

U.S. and European military planners have begun exploring security guarantees for Ukraine, Reuters reported on Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would help guarantee its security in any deal to end the war.

“It is necessary to first secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, then determine the framework of a mission with a clear mandate, and clarify the extent to which each country will contribute,” the Turkish source said on condition of anonymity.

The defence ministry source was asked whether NATO member Turkey could consider sending a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine, its Black Sea neighbour, as part of security guarantees.

Turkey has maintained cordial ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It has voiced support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and provided it military help, while opposing sanctions on Russia.

Ankara is also part of the European “coalition of the willing” which would commit forces to guarantee Ukraine’s security.

Turkey “makes efforts to contribute to all initiatives” supporting regional peace and security, the source said.

“However… making assessments based on predictions that have not yet been grounded in concrete terms would not be healthy or accurate,” the person added.

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Jonathan Spicer Editing by Ezgi Erkoyun)