Turkish foreign minister meets with Ukrainian president in Kyiv

ISTANBUL

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the capital Kyiv, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

Fidan also held talks with Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

He is later expected to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram that he discussed with Fidan many important issues, including the peace formula he proposed at the latest G-20 summit in Indonesia, preparations for the Global Peace Summit and "risks posed by the Russian blockade of the Black Sea grain corridor."

"I am grateful to Türkiye for its continued and consistent support of Ukraine!" he added.

Last month, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, brokered by Türkiye and the UN, to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports that were paused after the Ukraine war in February 2022.

Moscow has repeatedly complained West has not met its obligations regarding Russia's own grain exports. It says restrictions on payments, logistics and insurance have been a barrier to its shipments.

Ankara has been carrying out intense efforts for the restoration of the July 2022 deal, and has also called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.

Türkiye recognized Ukraine's independence in 1991, and bilateral relations gained the status of strategic partnership in 2011.

Ankara frequently voices support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea.