We felt Turkey’s support not only in words but also in deeds,” : Olena Zelenska

The First Lady of Ukraine expressed sincere gratitude to Turkey for ensuring the safety of children from boarding schools in Ukraine amid the war with Russia.

"You know, exactly 3 weeks before the war we hosted Mrs. Emine Erdoğan and her husband in Kyiv. It was just the 30th anniversary of our countries' diplomatic relations. There was a warm meeting, we opened an audio guide in Turkish in a special place, "Sophia of Kyiv", for Turkish tourists. There were a lot of Turkish tourists in Kyiv over the recent time. When I think it was only 2 months ago, I feel it was another life for me. Since our life has changed completely since then," Zelenska told Anadolu Agency.

According to her, "the friendship that started in life before the war is continuing and is in fact getting stronger."

"Mrs. Emine Erdoğan immediately supported us on the information front, expressing solidarity, while Russia was still lying about the 'special operation,'" the wife of the Ukrainian leader noted.

The First Lady of Ukraine recalls that when Kyiv started looking for safe places for children - Turkey was one of the most desirable options.

"I turned to Mrs. Emine to support us. Through the efforts of a large team of people involved in the evacuation of Ukrainian children, including our embassy in Turkey, representatives of local Ukrainian authorities, patrons, and volunteers, 973 of our children have already been evacuated. In short, we have felt the support of Turkey both in words and deeds," she stressed.