Turkiye’s Communications Directorate said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues, in a phone call on Wednesday.

Axar.az reports, citing Anadolu Agency, that Erdogan stressed the importance of efforts to ensure navigational safety in the Black Sea, according to a statement shared by the directorate on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

He said Turkiye is always ready to contribute to efforts aimed at launching direct contacts between Russia and Ukraine.

During the call, Erdogan also congratulated Putin on his birthday and on his party’s success in the Duma elections.