March 10, 2022–It was a valiant effort by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an to host diplomatic talks between Russia and Ukraine today. After all, it’s the 15th day of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and its citizens with no end in sight.
The table was already set for meetings as Turkey was hosting a diplomacy forum in Antalya. So the mood for some kind of breakthrough in peace talks or at least a ceasefire for humanitarian relief seemed possible.
But that did not happen when Russian and Ukrainian Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov and Dmytro Kuleba faced one another across a large U-shaped table. That was the extent of the progress.
No Breakthroughs
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey is encouraging the ongoing process taking place in Belarus. He emphasized that it was a step in the right direction that the two countries held meetings at the level of foreign ministers. However, he downplayed expectations for a breakthrough.
“We are making efforts to stop the bloodshed, tears, and destruction in Ukraine as soon as possible,” Cavsoglu said after the meeting. “Of course, no one expected all the problems to be resolved from this meeting.”
Same Old Story
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Lavrov stuck to his “traditional narratives about Ukraine” and did not go beyond that. The meeting comes a day after Russia’s military bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine. That is where Russia is hitting hardest and the civilian population is cut off from food, water and electricity.
“The most tragic situation is currently now in the city of Mariupol, on the Sea of Azoz,” he said. “The city is being bombarded from the air. It’s being hit by artillery fire.”
Kuleba said he is trying to achieve a humanitarian corridor for safe passage of civilians in and from Mariupol.
“Unfortunately, Minister Lavrov was not in a position to commit himself to it. But he will correspond with respective authorities on this issue,” Kuleba said.
‘So-Called Atrocities’ And Other Dismissals
Russia’s foreign minister was careful to note that the talks do not supplant or supplement those happening along the Belarus border. Lavrov said they mainly discussed humanitarian issues.
Furthermore, Lavrov insisted that the Russian Federation did not attack Ukraine. Rather, he said, the country acted after its calls for its security concerns went answered.
“In Ukraine, we simply explained that a situation has arisen many times that creates direct threats to the security of the Russian Federation.” Lavrov added, “Contrary to our many years of reminders of exhortations, calls for proposals, no one listened to us. President Putin repeatedly spoke in detail on this topic.”
Asked about the bombing of the maternity hospital, Lavrov called questions on that “pathetic cries about so-called atrocities committed.”
New Diplomacy Needed
Meanwhile, the theme at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum itself is noteworthy. It comes at a time when the world seems to be disintegrating into chaos. The forums organizers noted new ideas are necessary.
“We need new methods, We need to recode our means, We need a NEW DIPLOMACY!” they said on Twitter.
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