Turkey Invites Russia and Ukraine for Talks Amid Energy Tensions

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has expressed Turkey's readiness to host further negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. During his phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, they discussed the ongoing conflict's regional and global risks and emphasized energy security, focusing on the protection of gas pipelines.

Amid escalating tensions, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Turkey's willingness to mediate further dialogue between Russia and Ukraine during a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The Turkish foreign ministry highlighted this commitment on Tuesday, underscoring the potential regional and international ramifications of the ongoing conflict.

Energy security emerged as a focal point in their talks, with ministers discussing the safeguarding of critical gas pipelines. These discussions carry significant weight as the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines face threats from Ukrainian forces, according to Moscow.

In recent developments, Russia claims it successfully thwarted Ukrainian assaults on gas infrastructure crucial to the gas supply to Europe, overseen by Gazprom. These incidents illustrate the broader tensions impacting Russian-Turkish energy relations amidst the Ukraine conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)