Erdogan declared Turkey's readiness to facilitate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine

Turkey will continue to make efforts to advance negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and maintain communication channels between the parties. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on May 17 after returning from Albania.

"We will make every effort to ensure that the channels of dialogue between the parties remain open and continue negotiations," TRT Haber quoted Erdogan as saying.

The Turkish leader also said that "Turkey's greatest desire" is to get a result from the peace talks.

"Therefore, we are determined to continue playing the role of mediator in ending this conflict," Erdogan concluded.

Step at the meeting: the results of the first negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in three years

The first round of contacts took place in Istanbul — what's next

On May 16, the Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the talks agreed to present their vision of a cease-fire and to exchange prisoners of war in the 1,000-by-1,000 format.