ANTALYA, Turkiye

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Thursday thanked Türkiye for opening its doors to his country's citizens, as he attended events in the Turkish resort city of Antalya, where he will also participate in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF 2025).

"Since beautiful Antalya is home to many Ukrainians, I would like to thank you for opening your doors to us," Sybiha said.

"Today, you also wished peace for Ukraine, and we thank you too," Sybiha said, adding that there has been historical friendship, cooperation and neighborly relations between the Turkish and Ukrainian people for years.

"In fact, the summary of the relationship between Türkiye and Ukraine is in the following words of Mevlana: 'We may not understand each other's languages, but our hearts feel the same'," he added.

The Ukrainian foreign minister reiterated Kyiv's desire for peace, which should be inclusive, permanent and fair.

He said Kyiv started to give more importance to real friendships and values ​​as a result of the ongoing war in his country, going on to thank the Turkish people and officials, as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"It is very important for us that humanitarian aid has been provided to date and continues to be provided. With our joint efforts, we are getting closer to inclusive and just peace every day. This is exactly why I am in Türkiye today, and I am grateful once again," he said.

The three-day ADF 2025 will begin on Friday.