Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Istanbul on Saturday, where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for talks focusing on Black Sea grain corridor and maritime safety.
Also on Saturday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was in the U.S. city of Atlanta for a G-20 foreign ministers’ meeting, called on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to make a deal to reach a peace agreement, warning that the nearly five-year war has inflicted enormous damage on the global economy and carries the risk of further regional escalation.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) and broadcaster TRT on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting, Fidan said the economic and social costs of the conflict have become increasingly difficult to ignore, particularly for European countries. "These wars are no longer sustainable. Therefore, Russia and Ukraine must reach an agreement," he said.
He added that a lasting settlement would require not only peace between Russia and Ukraine but also an improved relationship between Russia and Europe.
"A constructive relationship between Europe and Russia needs to be redefined in the aftermath of peace. This is because any peace agreement that Ukraine reaches with Russia will not be limited to those two countries alone. In a sense, Europe also needs to reconcile with Russia and restart certain aspects of their relationship. This is important," Fidan stressed.
Fidan warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had significantly compounded the economic consequences of the Ukraine war, further disrupting energy supplies and international trade. He said the interconnected nature of the global economy made it "increasingly difficult" to calculate the full financial impact of these disruptions. European industries had long benefited from relatively inexpensive Russian energy, which supported manufacturing, exports, and related financial activities. The breakdown of these economic connections has created far-reaching consequences, he explained. He stressed that the mounting economic burden must be brought to an end.
Fidan also expressed concern over disruptions to commercial shipping in the Black Sea, noting that Russian and Ukrainian grain and energy supplies are struggling to reach international markets. "Food security, in particular, is an incredibly problematic issue. It needs to be brought to a halt as soon as possible."
He said Türkiye is continuing intensive diplomatic contacts and making substantial efforts to facilitate the transportation of grain from the Black Sea to international markets.
Fidan said the Ukraine war has caused significant human suffering alongside its economic and geostrategic consequences. He voiced concern that the conflict could spread further if international efforts fail to stop it.
He said many of the scenarios Türkiye had previously feared of the war expanding had already materialized.
"If we do not stop it, the conflict could expand further, a scenario we certainly do not wish to see. To be frank, we are warning both international and regional actors about this. For our part, we will continue to do everything we can," he said.
Using its good relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye has continued to position itself as a diplomatic interlocutor in efforts to end the war and address its broader regional and international consequences.
In a joint news conference with Zelenskyy on Saturday, President Erdoğan stated that attacks on civilian vessels could further escalate tensions in Black Sea, which would serve no one's interests.
Underlining that their meeting also addressed ensuring Black Sea maritime safety, Erdoğan said that Ankara has been "actively" working to protect maritime safety and stability.
"However, in parallel with the recent escalation, we are witnessing the conflict spreading into the Black Sea," he said. "We cannot accept these attacks under any circumstances, regardless of who carries them out or what justification they may offer," he added, urging both parties to act responsibly and conduct themselves accordingly.
The Turkish president vowed that Ankara would continue to hold talks with both sides on restoring safety in the Black Sea.
Erdoğan underlined that the talks between Ukraine and Russia, hosted by Türkiye, had shown that concrete results can be achieved through diplomacy. "Even at this stage, we maintain that there can be no losers in a just peace," he said. The Turkish leader expressed Ankara's readiness to make "every possible effort to pave the way for peace" in Ukraine.
He voiced hope for fresh momentum to efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in Ukraine, helped by a possible deal over safety in the Black Sea. He said they intend to advance the process through discussions with Russia as well. "Today, we once again reaffirmed our commitment to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of our strategic partner, Ukraine," he said. "The entry into force, as of Oct. 1, of the free trade agreement signed between our countries in 2022 represents an important milestone in our bilateral economic and trade relations. "This agreement has brought us one step closer to our target of achieving a bilateral trade volume of $10 billion," he said. Turkish companies that remained in Ukraine despite the war, which began in 2022, will play a significant role in the country's reconstruction, he added.
For his part, Zelenskyy said that he had agreed with Erdoğan to work on the Black Sea grain corridor.
"Today, I reached an agreement with President Erdoğan to work on the Black Sea grain corridor. Our goal is to ensure that this corridor remains in place and continues to function effectively," he said during the news conference.
Türkiye was instrumental in establishing the first Black Sea grain corridor of 2022-2023. Zelenskyy said Türkiye supports efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and restore normal living conditions. "Türkiye consistently supports our efforts to ensure our sovereignty and territorial integrity, secure safe navigation in the Black Sea, and restore normal living conditions in the Black Sea region," he said.
He also described Türkiye and Ukraine as allies in defense and the defense industry, saying their cooperation would continue to grow. "We are working on new joint industrial ventures and other economic projects. The free trade agreement between our nations has entered into force, creating new opportunities for both the Ukrainian and Turkish business communities," he said.
He added that progress on freedom of navigation would help unlock the agreement's full potential, while energy and infrastructure projects offered significant opportunities for both countries. "Especially at a time when the Russians have intensified their terrorist attacks on the energy infrastructure of our cities and villages, every energy project we undertake with our partners carries great importance," he said.
Zelenskyy said he also met representatives from Turkish energy companies and expected supplies of generators and other energy equipment to increase in the coming week. He urged the swift implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level and thanked Türkiye for its continued support, saying cooperation in security and the economy was growing stronger despite difficult circumstances. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine was preparing for trilateral talks with Russia and the US scheduled for the first half of November.
"We discussed the prospects of this format and other possibilities with the president, specifically the potential for including Türkiye and the rest of Europe in the process, as well as the possibility of holding meetings here in Türkiye," he said.
He stressed that "strong decisions are needed to achieve peace" and urged a clear message to be delivered to Russia at every level that there was no alternative to peace and that support for Ukraine would not weaken. He said de-escalation was possible if Russia was compelled to take steps to reduce tensions.
