Türkiye's foreign minister meets Ukrainian president, top officials in Kiev

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a visit to the war-ravaged country's capital Kiev.

Following the meeting on Friday, Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram that Fidan and he discussed many important issues, including the peace formula he proposed at the latest Group of 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!" Zelenskyy said.

During his visit, Fidan also met Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and held talks with the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office Andriy Yermak. He is also expected to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its mediating role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kiev and Moscow to end the hostilities through negotiations. The war has been going on for more than 500 days.

Ankara recognised Ukraine's independence in 1991, and relations between Türkiye and Ukraine gained the status of strategic partnership in 2011.

Türkiye frequently voices support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and does not recognise Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Grain deal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated that Fidan may visit Russia soon to hold face-to-face talks.

Last month, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, which it signed last summer along with Türkiye, the United Nations, and Ukraine to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports. The export was paused soon after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.

Moscow has repeatedly complained that the Russian part of the agreement was not implemented.

Ankara has been carrying out intense efforts and pushing diplomacy for the resumption of the deal.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to hold talks in person with Turkish President Erdogan soon.

Putin had told Erdogan in a phone call on August 2 that Moscow was ready to return to the Black Sea grain deal as soon as the Western countries met their part of the bargain with regard to Russia's own grain exports.