Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today, suggested that "it is possible to form an international committee to investigate the collapse of the massive Kakhovka Dam on the front line between Russian and Ukrainian forces." A statement from Erdogan's office indicated that the Turkish president informed Zelensky that "a negotiating method similar to that adopted regarding the Black Sea grain export corridor initiative could be used to address the dam issue," adding that "Turkey is ready to make its utmost effort in this regard."
During the call, the two leaders discussed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war. Erdogan noted that a committee could be formed with experts from the conflicting parties, the United Nations, and the international community. He also emphasized that with ongoing conflicts, it is impossible to stop the human losses incurred daily, thus the idea of returning to negotiations must be reinforced, stating that "Turkey will continue its resolute efforts to achieve a just peace."
Additionally, Erdogan informed Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call today about the necessity of conducting a comprehensive investigation into the Kakhovka Dam collapse. The statement revealed that he communicated the proposal to form an international committee that includes the United Nations and Turkey to look into the matter. Putin acknowledged that the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam is a "humanitarian and environmental disaster."
Ukraine and Russia have exchanged accusations over the dam's destruction, which resulted in the release of water in conflict areas and forced thousands to flee their homes. Earlier today, Zelensky pointed out that "the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in southern Ukraine deprived hundreds of thousands of a regular means of accessing drinking water."
