ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as broader regional and global developments, Türkiye’s Communications Directorate said.

During the talks, Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s continued support for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing that the region needs greater peace and stability, according to a statement on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

He said Türkiye attaches great importance to safe navigation in the Black Sea and underscored the importance of energy supply security.

Erdogan also expressed Türkiye’s determination to boost bilateral trade with Ukraine, noting that Ankara will continue taking necessary steps toward that goal.

He further voiced satisfaction with Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its relations with Gulf countries, according to the statement.

The meeting followed a Friday phone call between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine.