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Volodymyr Zelensky and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Photo: Chris McGrath / Getty Images
During Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Istanbul, Turkey once again offered itself as a mediator in Russia's war against Ukraine.
"We are ready to host a peace summit in which Russia will also take part," said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
He also pledged his country's support in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Turkey also continues to support Ukraine's integration into "Euro-Atlantic institutions."
In front of journalists, Zelenskyj described the talks with Erdoğan as productive, but he rejected a peace summit with Russian participation.
Among other things, it was also 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 Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia," said the Ukrainian president.
According to him, they are being held in Russian prisons and camps under inhumane conditions.
Erdoğan 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 functions with unchanged effectiveness,” emphasized Zelensky.
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 be named “Hetman Ivan Vyhowsky”.
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.
lph/dpa