Erdogan tells Zelenskyy Türkiye ready to back peace efforts

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday that Ankara remains prepared to do everything within its means to help bring the conflict with Russia to a lasting peace, stressing the importance of maintaining navigational safety in the Black Sea during their meeting in New York.

The leaders convened at the Turkish House — known as Turkevi — on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly to discuss bilateral relations, regional developments and the ongoing war, according to a statement from Türkiye's Communications Directorate.

Peace efforts and Black Sea security

During the bilateral talks, Erdogan emphasized that Türkiye expects responsible behavior from all parties involved in the conflict. "Türkiye is always ready to do its utmost to ensure the Ukraine-Russia war concludes with a lasting peace, and that efforts to revitalize direct negotiations will continue," he said, adding that Ankara would maintain its diplomatic initiatives to facilitate dialogue between Kyiv and Moscow.

The Turkish president also underlined the need for immediate steps to ensure navigational safety in the Black Sea, stating that attacks on commercial vessels are "unjustifiable" and cannot be tolerated. He stressed that ensuring the security of shipping lanes remains essential for regional stability and global food security, according to the directorate.

Strategic cooperation

Erdogan told Zelenskyy that Ankara would continue working to strengthen bilateral ties with Ukraine, noting that expanded cooperation in strategic sectors would benefit both nations. Increased collaboration in energy, mining and the defense industry stands to enhance economic integration and mutual security capabilities, he said.

UN General Assembly context

The meeting took place as world leaders gathered in New York for the annual UN General Assembly session. The gathering opened earlier this week amid ongoing international efforts to address the conflict, which has entered its third year with no clear resolution in sight.