The key facts
- Zelensky arrived in Istanbul for talks with Erdogan; the Turkish president's administration had previously announced the meeting
- Special attention to Black Sea security and the operation of maritime trade routes
- In September, the leaders already discussed Black Sea shipping and food exports in New York
Visit to Istanbul
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Istanbul, where talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are scheduled. The Turkish president's administration had previously announced the upcoming meeting. Footage of the Ukrainian leader's arrival was published on his official Telegram channel, reports Life.ru.
What they plan to discuss
The parties intend to discuss the further development of cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey, strengthening regional security, and diplomatic prospects for resolving the conflict. Particular attention is planned to be paid to the situation in the Black Sea: this issue affects not only the security of coastal states but also the operation of maritime trade routes. According to the visit program, Zelensky also has a meeting scheduled with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Context: Turkey's Black Sea initiative
The Black Sea topic at the talks is not new: in September, Zelensky and Erdogan already discussed shipping security and the restoration of food exports during a meeting in New York, where bilateral cooperation issues were also raised. Earlier, Life.ru reported that Turkey proposed to Russia and Ukraine a plan for organizing vessel traffic in the Black Sea: Ankara put forward an initiative to separate ship routes in order to reduce risks to civilian shipping. Thus, the Istanbul meeting continues the line of discussion on Black Sea security begun a month earlier, however, the publication does not report any specific results of the current talks.
