Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues.

“Türkiye is working to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza, to deliver humanitarian aid to the region,” Erdogan told Putin in a phone call, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.

Erdogan said that diplomatic initiatives must gain momentum to ensure that the Ukraine war ends in a “fair and lasting peace,” adding that Ankara will also continue its efforts for peace.

The Turkish president also wished Putin a happy birthday.

Türkiye previously hosted high-profile negotiations in March 2022, when Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul for direct talks just weeks after the war began.

While those talks ultimately stalled, they paved the way for agreements such as the now-defunct Black Sea Grain Initiative, which Türkiye and the United Nations also brokered.

Istanbul has hosted three rounds of talks so far — on May 16, June 2, and July 23 — aimed at reviving direct diplomacy between Moscow and Kiev after months of deadlock.