OREANDA-NEWS The protracted conflict in Ukraine may become a threat to security not only in Europe but also in the world, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, RIA Novosti reported citing the Czech newspaper Lidove Noviny, Gazeta.ru reported.

Cavusoglu stressed that since the beginning of the hostilities Turkey has been providing significant political and humanitarian aid, trying to leave room for diplomacy, encouraging both sides to find a solution.

According to the Turkish Foreign Minister, it is necessary to maintain diplomatic efforts to achieve peace. At the same time, any solution to be adopted must ensure the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained why the negotiation process was interrupted. He believes that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin simply for the sake of the very fact of the meeting. He also called Zelensky's statement that in order to resume the negotiations it was necessary for Russia to withdraw its troops to the 24 February line "a non-serious approach".