Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Turkish Embassy in Kyiv to offer condolences over earthquake

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday visited the Turkish Embassy in the capital Kyiv to offer his condolences to the people affected by this week’s major earthquakes.

"We honor the memory of the people who died in the devastating earthquake in Türkiye," Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

He added that "the awful tragedy that took so many lives in one moment caused deep pain in our hearts."

"We share the pain of the Turkish people and help in this difficult time. Eternal memory to the deceased. We wish those who suffered a quick recovery," he said.

Over 21,800 people were killed and 80,000 others injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Türkiye on Monday, the country's disaster agency said on Saturday.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes, centered in the Kahramanmaras province, affected more than 13 million people across 10 provinces, also including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, and Sanliurfa.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the strong tremors that struck Türkiye in the space of less than 10 hours.

Ukraine has many times praised Türkiye’s steadfast and unique friendship since the war with Russia began nearly a year ago, praising its ability to talk with both sides and broker deals otherwise out of reach.