'Unacceptable' Russian attack on Ukraine breaks international law: Turkish security summit

Turkish leadership vows to continue supporting Ukraine's political unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity

ANKARA:

Russia's attack on Ukraine violates international law and is "unacceptable,” a Turkish security summit chaired by the nation’s president said Thursday.

"At the summit, it was stated that this attack of Russia, which destroyed the (2014) Minsk Accords, violated international law and was unacceptable," Turkiye's Communication Directorate said in a statement.

The intervention began with Russian troops entering conflict-torn eastern Ukraine, whose war involving Russian-backed separatists the Minsk accords were meant to address.

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At the summit, Turkiye’s leadership vowed to continue supporting Ukraine’s political unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

The summit also evaluated initiatives by Russia and international platforms to stop the attacks on Ukraine, which it said threatens regional and global security.

The summit was chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential complex and lasted almost two hours.

Participants included Vice President Fuat Oktay, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Guler, National Intelligence Organization head Hakan Fidan, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, and presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was not able to attend as he is visiting Kazakhstan.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin early Thursday announced a military intervention in Ukraine just days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine. The recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk drew international condemnation and announcements of tougher sanctions on Moscow.

Thursday saw reports of explosions in several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, and of military vehicles crossing the border from Belarus into Ukraine.

In recent months Putin amassed over 100,000 Russian troops around Ukraine, but repeatedly denied any intention of invading.