Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose NATO-member country has repeatedly offered to act as a peace broker between Kiev and Moscow.
The closed-door meeting took place on Friday at the Dolmabahce Office in Istanbul.
Zelenskyy said in a statement at the start of the meeting that he was grateful for Türkiye’s support.
He said he was interested in strengthening bilateral cooperation, protecting navigation in the vital Black Sea shipping corridor, and having Ukraine work with Turkish defence companies.
He added that they also require Türkiye’s assistance in releasing Ukrainian prisoners of war and "all of our people, including Crimean Tatars, held captive by Russia."
Strong support for territorial integrity
The two presidents are later expected to hold a joint news conference.
Türkiye is expected to emphasise its continued strong support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, a Turkish diplomatic source said.
In Istanbul, Zelenskyy also was to visit shipyards where Turkish companies are building two corvettes for the Ukrainian navy, according to his office
