Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Istanbul on Friday for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish media reported.
The two leaders will meet at the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul and hold a press conference on Friday evening.
Zelensky’s office said the pair will discuss Kyiv’s proposal to end the conflict, as well as “the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, global food stability and the release of Ukrainian prisoners and political prisoners held by the Russian state”. In Istanbul, Zelensky will also visit shipyards where Turkish companies are building two corvettes for the Ukrainian navy, according to his office.
NATO member Turkey has sought to maintain good relations with Moscow and Kyiv throughout the military conflict, with Erdogan putting himself forward as a key mediator and possible peacemaker.
Zelensky last visited Turkey in July 2023 when he held lengthy talks with Erdogan.
A Turkish diplomatic source told AFP that Ankara would “once again emphasise that our strong support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, including Crimea, continues”.
