Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday thanked Turkiye for its mediation efforts in the Ukraine conflict and voiced confidence that Ankara will continue to play a “special role” in finding a solution, as he met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Chinese city of Tianjin.

Axar.az informs, ciitng Anadolu Agency, Putin said that since May, three rounds of direct Russia-Ukraine talks have been held in Istanbul. According to him, these negotiations allowed the sides to move forward on several humanitarian matters.

He emphasized that Ankara’s involvement has been instrumental in creating space for dialogue, describing Türkiye’s contribution as both “significant” and “in demand.”