Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attend a joint news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. AP
Speaking after a meeting with Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, Cavusoglu also called for an immediate cease-fire for the besieged city of Mariupol to allow the evacuation of stranded civilians, including Turkish citizens.
``This state of events must come to an end, the bloodshed and tears must be stopped now,'' Cavusoglu said. ``There can be no winners in war and no losers in peace.''
Cavusoglu is visiting Moscow as Turkey, a NATO member, has maintained close ties to both Ukraine and Russia, positioning itself as a mediator between the two sides. He is scheduled to travel to Ukraine on Thursday.
Dozens of Turkish nationals and others have been sheltering inside a mosque in Mariupol, seeking refuge from the Russian attack on the encircled port.
Cavusoglu said Turkey has so far evacuated more than 15,000 of its citizens from Ukraine.
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