Turkish minister tells German paper Russia also wants Ukraine peace

Russia and Ukraine are increasingly willing to reach a peace deal, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said in remarks to the Germany's Welt am Sonntag Sunday newspaper.

"After four years of attritional war, the parties are more prepared to conclude peace than previously," Fidan said. "They have seen the extent of human suffering and the destruction, and recognized their own limits," he added.

Turkey's understanding was that Russian President Vladimir Putin was now prepared to agree to a peace deal under certain conditions, and this attitude had been conveyed to the Ukrainian side, Fidan said.

Turkey was involved "in certain aspects of this," he added, noting that the war was exacting a heavy toll on Russia as well.

Fidan said the agreement under discussion was not only important to end the war in Ukraine, "but also to create durable stability for the whole of Europe."

Fidan added: "In this context, we should look more closely at certain articles of the agreement that are intended to ensure Europe's security. I see in these an historic opportunity for preventing further attacks."

It remains unclear what concrete security guarantees Ukraine might receive.

Putin recently stated that Russia could provide written assurances that it would not attack any European countries.