The meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began at the Dolmabahçe Working Office in Istanbul. Erdoğan welcomed Zelenskyy at the entrance to the office.
The two leaders proceeded to their meeting after a photo opportunity for the press.
Black Sea security on the agenda
According to a statement by Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, the talks will address the development of bilateral cooperation between Türkiye and Ukraine, as well as regional and global developments, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war and the security situation in the Black Sea.
In a statement upon arriving in Istanbul, Zelenskyy said that important issues concerning maritime transport in the Black Sea were on the agenda. Attacks by Russia and Ukraine targeting vessels in the Black Sea have intensified in recent months, and Ankara called for a moratorium on the attacks in August.
National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler welcomed Zelenskyy upon his arrival in Istanbul. The two leaders last met in Istanbul in April 2026.