Turkish President Erdogan, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy discuss ties, peace efforts in Istanbul

Ukrainian president says boosting partnerships to protect lives stability ensuring security in Europe and Middle East

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.

"We are working to strengthen our partnership ​to ensure real protection of people’s ​lives, advance stability and guarantee security ⁠in our Europe, as well as ​in the Middle East," Zelenskiy wrote ​on X earlier. 

Arrived in Istanbul, where important meetings are scheduled. Substantive talks have been prepared with the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

We are working to strengthen our partnership to ensure real protection of people’s lives, advance stability and guarantee… pic.twitter.com/SsAeVbetMT

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 4, 2026

He did not elaborate further on the subject of the talks. Ukraine has recently ​signed security co-operation agreements with Saudi ​Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, and says it ‌is ⁠in talks with several other Middle Eastern states about similar arrangements.

Read More: Ukraine, UAE agree to cooperate on defence: Zelensky

After the outbreak of war in the Middle East, ​Ukraine has ​sought to ⁠leverage its counter-drone experience acquired during its four-year-long war against ​Russia.

Moscow has long deployed Iranian-designed ​drones ⁠to strike Ukraine since its February 2022 invasion.

Zelenskiy's spokesman told reporters that Zelenskiy would ⁠meet ​Patriarch Bartholomew, the most ​senior cleric in the Orthodox Church.