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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Ukraine on May 29-30 at the invitation of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, focusing on bilateral relations and Türkiye's continued mediation efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Fidan's Ukraine visit represents the latest diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Kyiv as Türkiye maintains its role as a mediator in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
According to sources from the Foreign Ministry, Fidan will discuss bilateral relations agenda items as well as regional and global issues during his visit.
Fidan is scheduled to be received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
The Turkish foreign minister will hold meetings with his Ukrainian counterpart Sybiha, as well as bilateral discussions with high-level officials, including Ukrainian Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation in direct negotiations with Russian representatives held in Istanbul on May 16.
Fidan is also expected to meet with Crimean Tatar and Gagauz Turkish ethnic communities, including Ukrainian parliamentarian Mustafa Kirimoglu, the national leader of Crimean Tatars, and Refat Chubarov, chairman of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly.
During the discussions, Fidan will address steps that can be taken to develop bilateral relations within the framework of cooperation established based on a strategic partnership between Türkiye and Ukraine, particularly in trade, energy, defense, and security sectors.
The Turkish foreign minister will reiterate Türkiye's support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence while drawing attention to the increasingly severe negative effects of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Fidan will emphasize the need to end the war through diplomacy and achieve just and sustainable peace, expressing Türkiye's readiness to continue fulfilling its responsibilities for achieving peace and hosting subsequent talks between the two countries.
The foreign minister will highlight the importance of ensuring navigation safety in the Black Sea and indicate Türkiye's readiness to take on a role in Ukraine's reconstruction efforts.
Regarding Crimean Tatars, Fidan is expected to emphasize Türkiye’s strong support for their cause, welcome Ukraine’s legal steps to enhance their rights, and encourage further positive measures.
Foreign ministerial visits between Türkiye and Ukraine continue to maintain momentum. Fidan's last bilateral visit to Ukraine was on Aug. 25, 2023, while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha's last bilateral visit to Türkiye was on Oct. 21-22, 2024.
Minister Sybiha also participated in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on April 11-13, and Fidan and Sybiha met in Antalya on May 14, 2025.
Beyond foreign ministerial level visits, official visits from Ukraine to Türkiye have seen significant increases at all levels in recent periods.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy visited Türkiye on March 8, 2024, Feb. 17-18, 2025, and most recently on May 15-16.
Other high-level Ukrainian visits included Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk on May 13-15, 2024, Defense Minister Umerov on May 14, 2024, and Presidential Office Head Yermak, along with Minister Umerov, on June 28, 2024.
Despite the ongoing war's negative effects, trade volume between Türkiye and Ukraine was recorded at $6.2 billion in 2024, demonstrating the resilience of economic relations between the two countries.
The sustained diplomatic engagement and economic cooperation highlight Türkiye's commitment to maintaining strong bilateral ties with Ukraine while pursuing its mediation role in resolving the regional conflict through diplomatic means.
This upcoming visit underscores Türkiye's consistent diplomatic approach of supporting Ukraine's sovereignty while working toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict that has affected regional stability and global security.
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