Cooperation with Ukraine getting stronger despite war, says Turkish foreign minister

By Gizem Nisa Cebi

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized Monday the steady progress in relations with Ukraine despite the ongoing war, which is over 2 1/2 years old.

"We are facing the geopolitical challenges created by the war. Despite this, our multifaceted cooperation with Ukraine is growing stronger every day," Fidan told a joint press conference with his visiting Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in the capital Ankara.

Fidan congratulated Sybiha on his new role, as he was named foreign minister on Sept. 5, expressing confidence that he will contribute significantly to bilateral relations. Sybiha served as Ukraine's ambassador to Ankara from 2016 to 2021.

Fidan also reiterated Ankara’s support for Ukraine’s "territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence."

"The perseverance, resilience, and courage of the Ukrainian people in their struggle are beyond praise," he said.

On the ongoing Russian war, Fidan stressed: "We are ready to support peace efforts. Our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) is working tirelessly to end the war, which has caused great destruction and loss of life. Efforts on the ground must be backed by negotiation processes. Peace can only be achieved by the parties involved."

Highlighting the importance of reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative – a safe seaborne route for grain shipments from July 2022 to July 2023, coordinated by Türkiye – he expressed hope for the Black Sea to become a "basin of cooperation" once again.

Türkiye is continuing its efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022.

Ankara has urged Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting through negotiations, with Türkiye ready for any initiative, including mediation, to lay the groundwork for peace.

Türkiye first hosted a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the Mediterranean city of Antalya in March 2022.

Those efforts led to the landmark Black Sea grain deal in 2022, but Moscow did not extend the agreement after July 2023, citing restrictions on Russian grain exports.

- Türkiye ‘shows loyalty by not abandoning Ukraine’

Saying that the approval process for the Türkiye-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement is completed, Fidan added that they discussed defense industry cooperation and Ukraine’s reconstruction.

"Turkish contractors have contributed to over 300 projects in Ukraine, worth approximately $10 billion. Since the war began in 2022, our companies have completed 70 projects, showing loyalty by not abandoning Ukraine,” he added.

Emphasizing the "shared history" through Ukraine’s Crimean Tatars, Fidan said the Ukrainian government has implemented commendable legal reforms to strengthen the rights of the Crimean Tatars under the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“We are confident that additional steps will be taken in this regard,” he noted.

Ukraine’s ethnic Tatars have faced persecution since Russia's February 2014 takeover of the Crimean Peninsula, an action many see as a precursor to the current war.

Since then, they have continued their struggle for Ukraine's territorial integrity against Russian occupation.

Türkiye and the US, as well as the UN General Assembly, view the annexation as illegal.

Fidan added they signed agreements on diplomatic exchanges, as Türkiye considers Ukraine a "strategic partner."

"Earlier today, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Diplomatic Exchanges and the Consultation Action Plan for the 2025-2026 period between our ministries. Ukraine is our strategic partner, and we will continue our efforts to deepen relations in all areas. I believe this visit will elevate the friendship and cooperation between our two countries to a new level."