Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on July 7 visited Istanbul, where he held talks with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
It was Mr. Zelenskyy’s first trip to Turkey—a longstanding NATO member—since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine early last year.
At a joint press conference held after the talks, Mr. Erdogan noted that Ankara had made “intense efforts” to end the conflict “through negotiations based on international law.”
In March 2022, the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers met in the Turkish city of Antalya for prospective peace talks. Soon afterward, delegations from both countries held further negotiations in Istanbul.
Although hailed by all sides as “constructive,” the talks failed to produce any tangible breakthroughs.
“The Ukrainian people are defending their country’s territorial integrity and independence,” Mr. Erdogan said at the press conference. “From the moment the danger of conflict emerged, we made every effort to prevent war.
“Despite differences in understanding between the parties, it is our most sincere desire to return to the search for peace as soon as possible.”
The Turkish leader asserted that Ankara’s relations with Kyiv are now “stronger in every way, despite everything that has happened.”
Mr. Zelenskyy, for his part, thanked Turkey for the support it has shown for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and for hosting Ukrainian refugees.
“I am here in Istanbul to thank everyone who wants peace for our country and people,” he said.
The last time Mr. Erdogan met with his Ukrainian counterpart was in August 2022 in Lviv, Ukraine.
Shortly before the press conference, Turkish and Ukrainian representatives signed an agreement toward greater defense industry cooperation.
While Ankara has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it has also declined to support Western-led sanctions on Moscow. It also maintains good relations with Russia, with which it shares extensive trade ties and a lengthy maritime border.
Commercial vessels part of the Black Sea grain deal wait to pass the Bosphorus strait off the shores of Yenikapi during a misty morning in Istanbul on Oct. 31, 2022. Umit Bektas/Reuters/File Photo
Black Sea Grain Deal
At the press conference, Mr. Erdogan voiced hope that a year-old agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which allows the latter to export grain through the Black Sea, would remain intact.Brokered by Turkey and the U.N. last summer, the deal has thus far allowed more than 30 million tons of Ukrainian grain to be exported to international buyers.
However, the deal is set to expire on July 17, and Moscow has threatened to not renew it, saying its own demands to export Russian grain and fertilizer–as enshrined in the agreement–haven’t been met.
“We are working on how long we can extend [the deal] after July 17,” Mr. Erdogan said. “We hope it will be extended at least once every three months.
“We will make an effort in this regard and try to increase its duration to two years. I believe the relevant parties will act with a sense of global responsibility for this purpose.”
Mr. Zelenskyy, for his part, said it’s “crucial” to “take action in such a way that the life of the grain corridor ... does not depend on the mood of the Russian president.”
Early last month, Mr. Erdogan held separate phone calls with both his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, during which he stressed the grain deal’s “vital role” in allaying global food shortages.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, at NATO headquarters in Brussels on April 3, 2023. Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Photo
Kyiv’s NATO Bid
Mr. Erdogan also said that Ukraine “deserves” to be admitted to NATO, which remains one of Kyiv’s longstanding ambitions.Before coming to Turkey, Mr. Zelenskyy visited NATO members Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia to drum up support for Kyiv’s bid to the Western military alliance.
The three countries’ leaders, along with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, have all voiced support for Ukraine’s eventual membership in the alliance.
Mr. Zelenskyy hopes Ukraine will be formally invited to join the alliance at a landmark NATO summit that will convene this week in Vilnius, Lithuania.
However, the issue remains the subject of debate among NATO’s 31 current members, some of whom reportedly fear that the move would risk further escalation with Moscow.
Mr. Zelenskyy himself has acknowledged that his country is unlikely to be admitted to the alliance while it remains at war with Russia.
Shortly before the Ukrainian leader’s arrival in Istanbul, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would closely follow the meeting.
“We are interested to know what Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Zelenskyy will talk about,” Peskov said. “We will certainly keep a close eye on the outcome of talks.”
He also suggested that a Putin–Erdogan meeting may be convened “in the foreseeable future.”
Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Erdogan, who recently won reelection as president, said Mr. Putin could visit Turkey next month.
Reuters contributed to this report.
