On Monday, October 21, during a visit to Turkey, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha held bilateral talks in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.
Andrii Sybiha noted that his visit comes at an extremely challenging time for Ukraine, just ahead of significant international events, adding that this is one of the first foreign visits by Ukraine's foreign minister.
The minister emphasized the friendly and substantive nature of the bilateral negotiations with his colleague Hakan Fidan and stressed that Turkey is a strategic partner with whom Ukraine seeks to develop strong, reliable, and mutually beneficial relations.
The foreign minister expressed gratitude to Turkey for its comprehensive support of Ukraine since the beginning of the war and for its principled stance in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state. He highly appreciated the diplomatic efforts of the Turkish leadership, particularly President Erdoğan and Minister Fidan, aimed at achieving a just resolution to the war.
The minister informed his colleague about the challenging situation on the front, emphasizing that despite Russia deploying thousands of soldiers as cannon fodder daily, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding the front line.
In this context, the foreign minister highlighted Turkey's important role in supporting the Peace Formula, particularly its leadership in the area of "Food Security." He noted that the Peace Formula is the only realistic path to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.
The ministers discussed the issue of Turkish assistance in securing the release of Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russian captivity, including Crimean Tatars. Additionally, the parties focused on the importance of avoiding competition between peace initiatives and the danger of splitting the global community into blocks.
“All peace-loving states are interested in restoring a just peace and respecting the UN Charter. I am convinced that Turkey can play an important role in this,” Andrii Sybiha remarked.
The foreign minister also informed his Turkish counterpart about President Zelensky's Victory Plan and added that it is not a substitute for the Peace Formula but a practical tool for its implementation.
During the talks, the diplomats discussed efforts to restore stability and security in the Black Sea and ensure freedom of navigation. In this context, Andrii Sybiha informed his colleague about the increasing Russian strikes on Ukrainian port infrastructure and civilian vessels.
“Since the beginning of autumn, Russian strikes have damaged four vessels, including those carrying grain for Egypt, corn for Italy, and humanitarian cargo for the UN World Food Programme for Palestine. We need a strong position from our partners to stop this terror and preserve global food security,” the minister emphasized.
The foreign minister reminded that despite the war, Ukraine remains a guarantor of food security for many countries and regions.
“We continue to implement President Volodymyr Zelensky's humanitarian program 'Grain from Ukraine.' At one time, President Erdoğan played one of the decisive roles in launching this extremely important initiative. We are already planning to hold the third food summit in Kyiv in November,” the minister noted.
Andrii Sybiha specifically highlighted defense cooperation as one of the most dynamic areas of Ukrainian-Turkish collaboration. He stated that Turkish businesses are already strengthening Ukraine's defense capability: the company Baykar is constructing a factory, and STM is building the corvettes 'Ivan Mazepa' and 'Ivan Vyhovsky' for the naval forces, along with other projects. The minister added that this cooperation strengthens both Ukraine and Turkey.
The foreign minister thanked Turkish companies for their active participation in rebuilding Ukraine and welcomed the increase in their presence and projects. He also informed that this year the Ukrainian side established a relevant joint working group and expects a visit from a Turkish delegation to Ukraine soon, including President Erdoğan and Minister Fidan.
The foreign ministers of Turkey and Ukraine signed two documents to strengthen cooperation: a Plan for consultations between the ministries for the coming years and a Memorandum on the exchange and training of diplomats.
“We are getting closer, and we will continue to fill our strategic partnership with concrete substance that will benefit both of our nations,” Andrii Sybiha stated.
The minister expressed special thanks to the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities in Turkey and emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will do everything possible to support and assist them. He also thanked the Turkish side for creating appropriate living conditions for Ukrainian citizens who were forced to relocate after the start of the full-scale invasion.
“We appreciate your strong and patriotic voice, which strengthens the foundation of the partnership between Ukraine and Turkey,” the minister noted.
