Turkish FM warns Ukraine conflict risks nuclear war

(MENAFN) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that the ongoing Ukraine conflict could escalate into a broader and more dangerous war, potentially involving nuclear weapons. His comments come just days after the US announced an additional $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, and amid growing reports that NATO officials have discussed the possibility of deploying Western troops to the region, a move strongly opposed by Moscow.

Fidan stated in the Turkish parliament on Tuesday that Turkey does not rule out the possibility of the war expanding geographically or escalating to the point of nuclear weapon use. Despite this, he emphasized Turkey’s commitment to diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution by 2025.

Turkey had previously hosted the first round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in the spring of 2022, which ultimately collapsed. Moscow claims that an agreement had been reached, but the talks broke down after pressure from Western officials, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who allegedly urged Ukraine to continue the fight. Johnson has since denied any involvement in halting the negotiations.

In a related interview, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Russia’s stance on potential peace talks with Ukraine, stating that any future negotiations must account for the new "realities on the ground," including the four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—that voted to join Russia in referendums.

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