Erdoğan calls on Russia, Ukraine to ‘abide by common sense, international law’

* Photo: Wolfgang Schwan / AA

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Turkey's President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke about the escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine during his three-country visit in Africa.

Russia's recognition of breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine is unacceptable, said Erdoğan today (February 22), calling on the parties "to abide by common sense and international law" in the wake of Russia's latest moves, including sending troops to eastern Ukraine.

As reported by Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), President Erdoğan underlined that "as Turkey is a Black Sea country, many measures are needed for the situation in Ukraine – which is also on the Black Sea – and it is already taking such measures".

To help resolve the situation, Turkey is also ready to take part in a joint summit of the UN Security Council along with Germany, as proposed by Ukraine, if the other countries agree, Erdoğan added.

CLICK - Turkey says Russia's decision to recognize Ukraine's breakaway regions 'unacceptable'

Germany halts Nord Stream 2 pipeline

In a speech late Monday (February 21), Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, also attacking Ukraine's government and accusing the West of ignoring Moscow's core security concerns. Later, he ordered the deployment of Russia's troops to "maintain peace" in the breakaway regions.

Putin's moves have been widely condemned as serious violations of international law, and Western countries have vowed harsh new sanctions.

Amid these developments, Germany today announced that it halted the certification of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in response to Russia's widely condemned move against Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Russia's recognition of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states is a clear violation of international law.

"The situation has fundamentally changed, we need to make a reassessment, also with regard to Nord Stream 2," he told reporters, adding that they have taken administrative steps today to halt the approval process.

"There can be no certification of this pipeline now, and without this certification the Nord Stream 2 cannot begin operating. The division at the Federal Ministry of Economics responsible for this matter will make a reassessment about our gas supply security, in consideration of what has changed in recent days," he said. (AS/SD)