The president of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, has held a meeting in Turkey with his counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which they have made progress in the preparations for a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, the United States and Russia, scheduled for the first half of November. In addition, they have studied the possibility of Turkey hosting new rounds of contacts aimed at reactivating peace negotiations.
"We are preparing for a trilateral format -Ukraine, the United States and Russia- in the first half of November," Zelenski announced in a joint appearance with Erdogan, in which he explained that both leaders have analyzed the prospects of this proposal and different ways to involve Ankara, Europe and other international partners as well.
In this context, the Ukrainian leader has underlined the importance of sending Moscow "clear signals that there is no alternative to peace" and has stressed that external support for Kiev must continue.
For his part, Erdogan has valued that diplomatic efforts to try to end the war in Ukraine have gained new momentum, especially from the initiatives promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump. "We are ready to make every possible effort to open the way to peace," he stated.
Security in the Black Sea and grain corridor
The situation in the Black Sea has been another of the central issues on the agenda. Zelenski has expressed his gratitude for Turkey's support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and has anticipated that Kiev and Ankara will collaborate in the creation of a grain corridor that will make it possible to maintain and ensure the flow of agricultural exports.
In the same vein, Erdogan, who has condemned attacks against civilian ships "no matter where they come from", has defended the need to restore maritime security in the area and has called on "all parties" to avoid a new escalation.
Bilateral cooperation in defense, energy and trade
At the bilateral level, both presidents have highlighted the opportunities for collaboration in defense, arms production, industry, and energy. The Ukrainian delegation has announced that in the coming weeks the shipment of generators and other energy equipment from Turkey will increase, in a context marked by the rise in Russian attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure. New joint projects in the industrial and economic spheres have also been announced.
Likewise, the two leaders have highlighted the entry into force, last October 1, of the free trade agreement signed in 2022, conceived to strengthen trade exchanges and bring both countries closer to the goal of reaching a bilateral turnover of 10 billion dollars (about 8.9 billion euros). Erdogan has also expressed his expectation that Turkish companies will play a relevant role in the future reconstruction of Ukraine.