ISTANBUL

Ukraine’s ambassador to Türkiye said that Kyiv is working to organize a visit by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the war-torn country.

In an interview with the RBC-Ukraine news agency on Monday, Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye Nariman Dzhelyalov said that Kyiv is actively working on organizing such a visit, which would be Erdogan’s first since the start of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022.

The Turkish president last went to Ukraine amid a working visit to the western city of Lviv in August 2022.

“(Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy personally extended the invitation, and I reiterated it during my meeting with the Turkish president,” Dzhelyalov said, referring to his meeting with Erdogan early last month, when he presented his letter of credence.

Expressing that the visit requires significant effort as there are “many issues hindering its realization," Dzhelyalov further said that the ratification of the free trade agreement between the two countries could become the central focus of the visit itself.

“This agreement is important for a significant portion of our business, though it may raise concerns for some due to increased competition. However, this is a political decision. President Zelenskyy proposed that the agreement be ratified during Erdogan’s visit, which would be a strong and symbolic gesture," he expressed.

Turkish authorities have not yet commented on Dzhelyalov’s remarks.

Last year in August, Ankara ratified the Feb. 3, 2022 free trade agreement it signed with Kyiv.

Türkiye has played a mediating role between Russia and Ukraine, hosting peace negotiations during the early months of the conflict and later hosting renewed talks between the two warring sides in Istanbul on May 16, June 2, and July 23, respectively.