Turkish president affirms readiness to host Ukraine-Russia peace summit   Erdogan, Zelenskyy meeting in Istanbul

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has affirmed Türkiye’s readiness to host Ukraine-Russia peace summit as he met with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 8.

The closed-door meeting took place at the Dolmabahce Office in Istanbul, Anadolu Agency reports.

Commenting on the talks, Zelenskyy said on X that he is grateful to Türkiye for its "reliable support" for Ukraine.

"Both of our countries, the entire region, and global food security require unconditional security of navigation in the Black Sea. We can accomplish this by working together," Zelenskyy further said.

Zelenskyy also voiced Kyiv's interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation and coproduction with Turkish defense companies.

He added that they also require Türkiye’s assistance in releasing Ukrainian prisoners of war and "all of our people, including Crimean Tatars, held captive by Russia."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 8 said that Ankara will continue its efforts for “fair peace” between Russia and Ukraine

"While we continue our solidarity with Ukraine, we will continue to endeavor to end the war with fair peace based on negotiations," Erdogan said at a joint news conference with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymr Zelenskyy in Istanbul.

“I would also like to extend my condolences for the Ukrainian citizens who lost their lives in the two years of war,” he said, adding that he discussed the developments in the ongoing war “in detail” with Zelenskyy.

The negative repercussions of the war have been increasing on a regional and global scale, particularly in Ukraine, he said.

“No diplomatic step has been taken of a quality that could come close to the negotiating table we formed for the establishment of peace in Istanbul in March 2022,” Erdogan said.

“Since the beginning, we have made, and continue to make every contribution in our power for the termination of the war on the basis of negotiations,” he said, adding Ankara is ready to host a peace summit in which Russia will also participate. 

The Turkish president further said: “In our consultations, we also exchanged views on issues related to the stability of the Black Sea, such as export corridors and safety of navigation.”

Erdogan said the Black Sea Grain Initiative allowed nearly 33 million tons of grain to reach those in need, preventing a global food crisis, adding that Ankara is ready again to do its best.

He emphasized that it is of great importance for Ukraine to become economically self-sustaining and secure in the coming period.

The Turkish president also said that his support for Ukraine's goal of integration into the Euro-Atlantic institutions remains unchanged.

“We are pleased that our bilateral trade is stable despite the war,” he said, adding that the two sides agreed to increase the target of bilateral trade to $10 billion.

“The entry into force of the free trade agreement (with Ukraine) as soon as possible will undoubtedly give a new impetus to our relations,” he added.

Pointing to the ongoing efforts from Turkish firms in Ukraine “despite all challenges that the war has brought,” he said that Türkiye will “strongly” support the reconstruction of the war-torn Ukraine.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has time and again called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting through negotiations.


Turkish peace efforts were fruitful with some significant results, such as the landmark grain deal in July 2022, and the exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine. Moscow did not extend the deal after July 2023 citing restrictions on Russian grain exports.

Türkiye first hosted a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the Mediterranean city of Antalya in March 2022.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has made a post on his X account, highlighting the agreements reached between Kyiv and Ankara.

Talks between Ukraine and Türkiye are always sincere and fruitful. Today, we have reached agreements on joint defense projects both at the government level and between companies.

I met with the Turkish defense industry representatives. We are prepared to move quickly to put… pic.twitter.com/mDpYDDEnwi

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2024

“Talks between Ukraine and Türkiye are always sincere and fruitful. Today, we have reached agreements on joint defense projects both at the government level and between companies.

I met with the Turkish defense industry representatives. We are prepared to move quickly to put everything we discussed into action. I am very pleased with the discussions and confident that the results will be strong.

We are also prepared to quickly resolve all issues concerning economic cooperation, including reconstruction, and advancing necessary bilateral agreements for our peoples.

Today, Ukraine and Türkiye signed an agreement to streamline trade and remove barriers for businesses. Several important documents were also signed at the level of the defense ministries.

Ukraine and Türkiye are strengthening each other, as well as our entire region,” the post reads.