Zelensky, Erdogan agree on need to restore peace
Regional leaders discuss safe Black Sea corridor
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attends World Economic Forum annual meeting via video conference in Davos, Switzerland on May 23, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that he had talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with both sides agreeing on the need to restore peace in Ukraine.
“Unanimously agree on the need to restore peace. We appreciate Turkey’s help in this process,” Zelensky tweeted after the talks.
During the conversation, Zelensky and Erdogan also discussed the threats to food security due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the ways to unblock Ukraine’s ports.
They also discussed cooperation in the security sphere.
According to a statement issued by Erdogan’s office, the two leaders discussed the recent developments in the Ukrainian crisis, and Erdogan said Turkey attached importance to the project of creating a safe corridor for the export of Ukraine’s agricultural products by sea.
Erdogan said Turkey had made every effort to continue the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and that his country was ready to provide the needed support including mediation, the statement said.
Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the situation in Ukraine during a telephone call with Erdogan.
The two leaders addressed maritime security in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and the removal of the threat of mines in these waters, the Kremlin said.
Putin noted that Russia was ready to “facilitate the unhindered sea transit of goods” in coordination with the Turkish side, adding that this also applied to grain exports from Ukrainian ports.
Given the current challenges on the global food market, Russia would be able to export the necessary volumes of fertilizers and agricultural products if Western sanctions were lifted, the Kremlin said.
Putin and Erdogan also covered bilateral trade and economic ties as well as regional issues, the Kremlin said.
According to a statement issued by the Turkish presidential office, Erdogan and Putin discussed Turkey’s security concerns for Syria and the Ukraine crisis, as well as Turkey-Russia relations.
