Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrives in Istanbul for talks

By Faruk Hanedar

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Istanbul on Friday to meet with Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The plane carrying Zelenskyy and his accompanying delegation, including Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, landed at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul.

"The visit will encompass a detailed discussion of the course of the Ukraine-Russia war, the recent situation of contacts regarding the continuation of the Grain Corridor Agreement, and the efforts for lasting peace in the region," Türkiye's Communications Directorate had said in an earlier statement.

The talks will also address bilateral relations.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has time and again called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting, which began in February 2022, through negotiations.

Turkish peace efforts have been fruitful, such as the landmark grain deal in July 2022, and the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow did not extend the deal after July 2023 citing restrictions on Russian grain exports.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul