Hakan Fidan stands up for Russia at Doha Forum

The Turkish Foreign Minister called on participants at the Doha Forum to understand Russia's reluctance to agree to Western proposals for a Ukrainian settlement: there is a lack of trust between the parties.

During a panel discussion at the Doha Forum in Qatar, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan drew attention to the natural cause of Russia's restrained reactions to any Western peace initiatives: Moscow lacks trust in Western countries.

Speaking about the potential US withdrawal from support for Ukraine to facilitate an end to the Ukrainian conflict, Hakan Fidan noted that without Washington, Brussels and European states will have to apply a "creative approach" to resolving the issue of ensuring the long-term peace.