Newsletters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul on Saturday, pledging continued support for Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations while pressing for the safety of Black Sea shipping lanes and secure energy supplies.
The working session, confirmed by the Turkish Presidential Communications Directorate, covered bilateral ties between Ankara and Kyiv, the state of the war and a range of regional and global developments.
Erdogan told Zelenskyy that Türkiye would not waver in its support for negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow, saying the region was in urgent need of greater peace and stability. Türkiye has maintained an active mediating role throughout the conflict, keeping channels open with both sides as one of the few NATO members to retain close ties with Moscow.
Erdogan stressed that Türkiye places considerable importance on safe navigation in the Black Sea and on securing reliable energy supply lines. The sea has remained a flashpoint since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with commercial shipping repeatedly disrupted. Türkiye controls access to the Black Sea through the Turkish Straits under the 1936 Montreux Convention, giving Ankara significant leverage over maritime traffic in the region.
Beyond the war, Erdogan said Türkiye was committed to expanding its bilateral trade volume with Ukraine and would take the necessary steps to reach that goal. He also expressed satisfaction at Kyiv's growing engagement with Gulf states, signaling Ankara's support for Ukraine broadening its diplomatic and economic partnerships beyond its traditional Western backers.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
