Turkish foreign minister meets with Ukrainian president in Kyiv

By Muhammed Enes Calli and Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the capital Kyiv.

"Our Minister Hakan Fidan was received in Kyiv by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on X, formerly Twitter.

Fidan also held talks with Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office.

He is also expected to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram that Fidan and he discussed many important issues, including the peace formula he proposed at the latest Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, preparations for the "Global Peace Summit" and "risks posed by the Russian blockade of the Black Sea grain corridor."

"I am grateful to Türkiye for its continued and consistent support of Ukraine!" Zelenskyy further said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously announced that Fidan may visit Russia soon to hold face-to-face talks.

Last month, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, which it signed last summer along with Türkiye, the UN, and Ukraine to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports that were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022. Moscow has repeatedly complained that the Russian part of the agreement was not implemented.

Ankara has been carrying out intense efforts and pushing diplomacy for the resumption of the deal.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war, which has now surpassed 500 days, through negotiations.

Türkiye recognized Ukraine's independence in 1991, and relations between Türkiye and Ukraine gained the status of strategic partnership in 2011.

Ankara frequently voices support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea.