Today, May 15th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara during his visit to Turkey, reported by “Anadolu” here.
It has been reported that after arriving in Turkey, Zelensky went straight from Esenboğa airport to the Presidential Palace.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Zelensky at the entrance of the Presidential Palace. The two heads of state were photographed on the stairs against the backdrop of Turkish and Ukrainian flags.
In the meeting held behind closed doors, Turkey's Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler, Head of the National Intelligence Organization Ibrahim Kalin, and the President's chief advisor on foreign policy and security Akif Çağatay Kılıç participated.
Following the bilateral negotiations between President Erdogan and Zelensky, a working dinner between the delegations was planned.
Erdogan and Zelensky's meeting is expected to thoroughly discuss the current situation within the context of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Moreover, during the negotiations, President Erdogan is expected to re-emphasize Turkey's position – the necessity to cease fire as soon as possible and to start peace negotiations.
According to official reports, upon arrival in Ankara, at the airport, Ukrainian President Zelensky evaluated the Russia-Ukraine negotiations expected to be held in Istanbul.
“First of all, I express my gratitude to President Erdogan for making direct negotiations possible,” said Zelensky.
He also mentioned that the Russian delegation does not want to achieve real peace.
“The representation level of the Russian side is almost like a pretense. We will determine our next steps after meeting with President Erdogan. It is essential to understand the authority level of the Russian representatives, as it's clear who makes the decisions there,” said the Ukrainian leader.
