President Erdoğan meets with Zelenskyy: 'We are ready to make every effort to pave the way for peace' - Milliyet

Milliyet AppUygulamayı AçWebWeb'de Devam Et ENPresident Erdoğan meets with Zelenskyy: 'We are ready to make every effort to pave the way for peace'NewsPresident Erdoğan Meets With Zelenskyy: 'We Are Ready To Make Every Effort To Pave The Way For Peace'President Erdoğan meets with Zelenskyy: 'We are ready to make every effort to pave the way for peace'01.11.2026 - 00:55 | Last Updated: 01.11.2026 - 00:55

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a joint press conference following bilateral and delegation-level talks at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office. Erdoğan began his remarks by extending his warmest greetings to the delegation members and members of the press.

Expressing his pleasure at welcoming President Zelenskiy to Turkey once again, Erdoğan noted that the fighting in Ukraine continues unabated. Noting that the loss and destruction caused by the war are increasing day by day, Erdoğan said, “I once again extend my condolences to President Zelenskyy and the friendly people of Ukraine for those who have lost their lives in the war. During our talks today, we thoroughly discussed the recent intensified efforts to bring about peace in Ukraine and the security situation in the Black Sea. We are pleased that initiatives to end the war through diplomatic channels—particularly with the efforts of U.S. President Trump—have regained momentum,” he said.

“AT THIS POINT, WE SAY, ‘THERE ARE NO LOSERS IN A FAIR PEACE.’”

President Erdoğan noted that the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, hosted by Turkey, have demonstrated that concrete results can be achieved through diplomacy, stating, “At this point, we say, ‘There are no losers in a just peace.’ I would like to emphasize that we are ready to make every effort within our power to pave the way for peace.”

“Since the start of the war, we have been actively working to maintain security and stability in the Black Sea. However, in parallel with the recent escalation, we are witnessing the spread of hostilities to the Black Sea. It is clear that attacks on civilian vessels and steps that would further escalate tensions in the Black Sea benefit no one. We cannot under any circumstances accept these attacks, regardless of who carries them out or what the justification may be. We call on all parties to act responsibly in this regard. We will continue our discussions with the parties involved to reestablish the safety of navigation in the Black Sea."

President Erdoğan expressed his belief that reaching an agreement on this matter would also give momentum to efforts to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine.

Noting that they aimed to advance the process by discussing this matter with Russia as well, Erdoğan said, “Today, we also reaffirmed our commitment to the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of our strategic partner, Ukraine. The entry into force on October 1 of the Free Trade Agreement signed between our countries in 2022 represents a significant step for our bilateral economic and trade relations. This agreement has brought us one step closer to our goal of a $10 billion trade volume. Finally, I believe that our companies, which have not abandoned Ukraine despite the difficult conditions of war, will—God willing—make significant contributions to Ukraine’s reconstruction. I would like to thank my dear friend, Mr. Zelenskyy, for this visit, and I now turn the floor over to him,” he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, “Turkey consistently supports our steps to ensure our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and safe navigation in the Black Sea, as well as to reestablish normal living conditions in the Black Sea region.”

Zelenskyy spoke at a joint press conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held at the Dolmabahçe Presidential Office. Thanking Erdoğan for being ready to support all promising developments that will enable Ukraine to achieve true peace and security through clear and comprehensive cooperation, Zelenskyy said, “The fact that our meeting coincides with International Black Sea Day also carries symbolic significance.”

Zelenskyy stated, “Russia has been steadily worsening the situation in the Black Sea, step by step, through its aggression since 2014,” and continued: “Turkey consistently supports our steps that can ensure our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and safe navigation in the Black Sea, restore normal living conditions in the Black Sea region." Noting that he and Erdoğan had discussed some new ideas and proposals that could be beneficial in this regard, Zelenskyy said, “I would like to thank Mr. Erdoğan for this dialogue. Food security is among these issues. Today, Erdoğan and I agreed to work on the Black Sea Grain Corridor. Our goal is to ensure the continued existence and effective operation of this corridor.”

Zelenskyy noted that they are preparing for the trilateral format between Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia, which is expected to take place in the first half of November, adding, “We discussed with the President the prospects of this format and other possibilities, particularly the potential for involving Turkey and all of Europe in the process, as well as the possibility of the possibility of holding meetings here in Turkey.” “Strong decisions are needed to achieve peace,” Zelenskyy said, emphasizing the need to convey to Russia the message that there is no alternative to peace at any level and that support for Ukraine will not diminish. Zelenskyy noted that steps to de-escalate tensions are possible when Russia is compelled to take de-escalatory measures.

"Our countries are natural allies in the defense sector and the defense industry. This cooperation will continue to grow stronger. We are working on new joint industrial projects and other economic initiatives. The free trade agreement between our countries has entered into force, creating new opportunities for the Ukrainian and Turkish business communities." Zelenskyy noted that progress in ensuring freedom of navigation at sea will also contribute to the full realization of the free trade agreement’s potential, adding, “We also have significant potential in the energy and infrastructure sectors. There are projects that can strengthen both Ukraine and Turkey. Especially during this period when the Russians have intensified their terrorist attacks on the energy infrastructure of our cities and villages, every energy project we implement with our partners is of great importance," he said.

Zelenskyy, noting that they had also met with representatives from Turkish energy companies, said, “We expect an increase in the supply of generators and other energy equipment next week.” Zelenskyy noted that business representatives from both countries had also met and expressed his gratitude for this. Emphasizing that he expects the matters agreed upon at the presidential level to be swiftly implemented, Zelenskyy said, “I am grateful to Turkey for all the support it has provided and for the fact that our cooperation in the fields of security and the economy is growing stronger despite the challenging conditions.”

Also present at the meeting were Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director İbrahim Kalın, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, and Presidential Defense Industry Director Haluk Görgün, the President’s Senior Advisor on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç, the President’s Senior Advisor Zafer Çubukçu, AK Party Deputy Chairman and Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik, and Turkey’s Ambassador to Kyiv Fatma Ceren Yazgan.