Turkey’s diplomatic chief Hakan Fidan met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev this Friday as part of a rare visit, authorities from the respective countries announced.
“Our minister was welcomed in Kiev by the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky,” the Turkish foreign ministry said on social media.
Zelensky confirmed the meeting on Telegram’s digital platform, saying in particular they had “addressed the risks posed by the Russian siege to the Black Sea grain corridor.”
In mid-July, Russia withdrew from the agreement that, despite the war, allowed millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to leave Ukrainian ports for nearly a year.
In recent weeks, Moscow has carried out several series of attacks on port infrastructure in Odessa and ports on the Danube.
Ukraine, in turn, is looking for partners to restart its exports, including the Black Sea, where it recently challenged Moscow with the voyage of a Hong Kong-flagged freighter, which was not attacked by Russia despite threats.
Kiev also carried out several attacks on Russian ships in the Black Sea, including an oil tanker, and in turn threatened ships heading for ports occupied by Russia and Moscow.
Turkey has long played the role of mediator between the two belligerent countries, including sponsoring the grain deal abandoned by Russia, but relations with Moscow have become tense after Ankara turned over the commanders of the ultra-nationalist Azov battalion to Ukraine .
In spite of everything, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked for support from Turkey in early August for the export of grains from Russia’s huge harvest, the distribution of which is hampered by Western sanctions.
The military offensive that Russia launched in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggered the worst refugee crisis in Europe since World War II (1939-1945), according to UN data.
The invasion — justified by Putin with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security — was condemned by the international community at large, which has responded by sending arms to Ukraine and political and economic sanctions on Russia. to impose.
Source: DN
