Erdoğan and Zelenskiy Meet in Ankara: Focus on Peace and Bilateral Relations
President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. The two leaders posed for a commemorative photo in front of the flags of Türkiye and Ukraine before beginning their official talks. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director İbrahim Kalın, and Chief Foreign Policy and Security Advisor to the President Akif Çağatay Kılıç also attended the meeting.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran stated in a message regarding the meeting that under Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye will continue to play an important role in the international community, acting as the voice of peace and a pioneer of solutions. Duran emphasized that bilateral relations with Ukraine and the latest developments in the Russia–Ukraine war were discussed, and that efforts to achieve a ceasefire and lasting peace, particularly through the Istanbul Process, were comprehensively evaluated.
In the joint press conference with Zelenskiy, Erdoğan said: “We believe that implementing the Istanbul Process with a more comprehensive content and in a way that resolves the pressing problems will be beneficial.” He noted that the direct negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul marked an important milestone in diplomatic efforts. Erdoğan also underlined the goal of increasing bilateral trade volume with Ukraine to 10 billion dollars and reaffirmed Türkiye’s continued support for the Crimean Tatars.
Zelenskiy stated during the meeting: “We trust in the power of Türkiye’s diplomacy and its ability to be understood in Moscow.” Stressing that Türkiye attaches great importance to Ukraine, he expressed gratitude for its support of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty. Referring to Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Ternopil and Kharkiv, Zelenskiy said that in just one day 48 missiles and 476 assault drones were used against Ukraine.
Zelenskiy also highlighted the importance of cooperation in the defense sector and security in the Black Sea. He noted that prisoner exchanges, the return of abducted children, and support for the political and religious prisoners of the Crimean Tatars were among the issues discussed with Türkiye. He added that more than 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers had returned through negotiations within the Istanbul Process and stressed that these diplomatic efforts must be accelerated.
