Turkey’s leader and the UN chief met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for talks on the recent landmark grain export deal, the volatile situation at Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant and efforts to help end the nearly six-month-old war.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would follow up with Russian President Vladimir Putin, given that most of the matters discussed would require the Kremlin’s agreement.
Zelenskyy praised Erdogan’s visit and called it a “powerful message of support.”
“The visit of the President of Turkey to Ukraine is a powerful message of support from such a powerful country,” he said.
The Turkish president urged the international community not to abandon diplomatic efforts to end the war that has killed tens of thousands and forced more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes.
He repeated that Turkey is willing to act as a “mediator and facilitator” and added, “I remain convinced that the war will end at the negotiating table.”
In March, Turkey hosted talks in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators that failed to end the hostilities.
The summit marks the first visit to Ukraine by Erdogan and the second by U.N. Secretary-General Guterres since Russia’s invasion on February 24.
Speaking at a press conference alongside the president of Ukraine and Türkiye, he noted that despite that the Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed a few weeks ago, “there is no solution to the global food crisis without ensuring full global access to Ukraine’s food products and Russian food and fertilizers”.
In less than one month, 21 ships have departed from Ukrainian ports and 15 vessels have left Istanbul for Ukraine to load up with grain and other food supplies.
Ukraine war
“The heart of the problem that brings us here remains the war,” reminded the Secretary-General, reiterating that the Russian invasion is “a violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine” and of the UN Charter.
The war has inflicted innumerous deaths, massive destruction, displacement, and dramatic violations of human rights, he stated, adding that in line with the Charter and international law, “people need peace”.
Nuclear threat
The top UN official expressed his grave concern over the unfolding situation in and around Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia.
“Common sense must prevail to avoid any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant,” he said, adding that the facility “must not be used as part of any military operation”.
During the trilateral meeting, the Turkish president raised his concern about the ongoing conflict around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and said: “We do not want to experience a new Chernobyl”.