Cavusoglu: Turkey not picking side in Russia-Ukraine conflict

Ankara is not picking a side in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday.

"We do not accept anyone's side. Our position is based on an open and constructive approach," Cavusoglu said in an interview on broadcaster NTV.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called at the weekend for an end to "worrying" developments in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass region after meeting his Ukrainian counterpart. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov subsequently said Turkey and other nations should not feed "belligerent sentiment" in Ukraine, Reuters reported.