ANKARA (dpa-AFX) – Turkey once again offered itself as a mediator in Russia’s war against Ukraine during a visit by President Volodymyr Zelenskyj to Istanbul. “We are ready to host a peace summit in which Russia will also take part,” said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday after his meeting with Zelensky in Istanbul. He also pledged his country’s support in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Turkey also continues to support Ukraine’s integration into “Euro-Atlantic institutions.”
Zelenskyj, on the other hand, emphasized his peace plan, which, among other things, envisages a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. This will be discussed internationally at a possible summit in Switzerland – but initially without Russia’s participation, as Zelensky emphasized. “We don’t see how we can invite people to block, destroy and kill everything.” The summit is about a just peace for Ukraine. “Therefore, at the beginning, the civilized countries of the world will prepare a detailed plan and achieve a result.” Only then would it be possible to bring in Russian representatives, but only those who strive for such a just peace.
Speaking to journalists, Zelensky described the talks with Erdogan as productive. Among other things, it was about Turkish mediation for the release of Ukrainians imprisoned in Russia. “Today I handed over a list of our citizens, including Crimean Tatars from the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories,” the Ukrainian president said. According to him, they are being held in Russian prisons and camps under inhumane conditions.
Erdogan thanked Zelensky for his support of the Crimean Tatars, whom he called an “indispensable part” of Ukraine. Ankara traditionally sees itself as a protective power for the Muslim minority on the Black Sea peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
The export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea was also discussed. “The Ukrainian maritime corridor continues to function with unchanged effectiveness,” Zelensky emphasized. Almost 30 million tons of freight have already been transported. Since summer 2023, Ukraine has guaranteed a corridor for the safe passage of ships along its own coastline to the ports of the Odessa metropolitan area. The Russian fleet had previously been pushed out of the west of the Black Sea, primarily by naval drone attacks. During Zelensky’s visit, Ukraine and Turkey concluded an agreement on the electronic exchange of customs information on goods and vehicles.
In Istanbul, Zelensky also visited a shipyard where two warships are being built for the Ukrainian Navy. The Navy’s new flagship, the corvette Hetman Ivan Masepa, is scheduled to be completed this year. Zelensky stipulated that the second corvette should bear the name “Hetman Ivan Vyhovskyi”. According to Zelensky, both countries also reached agreements for future joint defense projects.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion with Western help for over two years. After the start of the war, Turkey served as a location for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Ankara recently renewed its offer to be available for peace talks. At the same time, Turkey is also supporting Kiev with arms deliveries./ast/DP/jha