Erdogan to Pitch Plan at G20 to Freeze War, Postpone Ukraine’s NATO Bid

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has prepared a proposal to freeze the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Bloomberg reported, citing informed sources. The plan will supposedly be presented at the G20 leaders' meeting in Rio de Janeiro.

Erdogan's initiative reportedly includes Ukraine delaying discussions on NATO membership for at least a decade, a move described as a "concession to Putin."

The proposal also suggests creating a demilitarized zone in eastern Donbas, overseen by international peacekeeping forces, and offering Ukraine military support as compensation for its NATO postponement.

According to Turkish officials speaking to Bloomberg, while the plan may be difficult for Ukraine to accept, they consider it the "most realistic approach" to achieving a stable ceasefire.

The proposal calls for postponing discussions about the status of Russian-occupied territories in order to focus on immediate de-escalation of the war.

Erdogan is reportedly aiming to host peace talks in Istanbul, using intelligence that suggests Ukraine could suffer significant territorial losses if the hostilities persist in the upcoming months.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not attending the G20 Summit, as Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declined to invite him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also opted out, saying he didn't want to "disrupt the forum" with "talks" surrounding the international arrest warrant against him.

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"We understand what is happening around Russia, and I understand. I have a wonderful and friendly relationship with President Lula of Brazil. Am I going there specifically to disrupt the normal operation of this forum? We understand perfectly well that even if we exclude this ICC warrant, all the talk will be about this. In fact, we will disrupt the work of the G20. Why?" Putin said, answering the question of a CNN correspondent during the BRICS forum.

Efforts to broker peace have gained momentum recently, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz holding his first phone call with Putin in two years and French President Emmanuel Macron signalling potential engagement when conditions are favourable.

Meanwhile, Zelensky emphasized in a recent interview that Ukraine aims to pursue a diplomatic resolution to the war by 2025.

The G20 Summit runs from Nov. 18 to 19 in Rio de Janeiro.