ANKARA, 28 March 2022, (TON): Turkey’s presidential spokesman said “Turkey and other nations must still talk to Russia to help end the war in Ukraine.”

He added that Kyiv needed more support to defend itself.

ATO member Turkey has good relations with both Russia and Ukraine and has sought to mediate in the month-long conflict.

Ibrahim Kalin told the Doha international forum “if everybody burns bridges with Russia then who is going to talk to them at the end of the day.”

“Ukrainians need to be supported by every means possible so they can defend themselves but the Russian case must be heard, one way or the other,” so that its grievances could be understood if not justified, Kalin added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the West to give his country tanks, planes and missiles to fend off Russian forces. The West has responded to Russia’s invasion by slapping sweeping economic sanctions on Moscow.

Ankara says Russia’s invasion is unacceptable but opposes the Western sanctions on principle and has not joined them.