President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Turkey on Saturday, April 4, for a working visit to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, presidential spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov confirmed to reporters.
The talks in Istanbul come at a critical diplomatic juncture. On Friday, Erdogan held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which both leaders called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East conflict.
The Kremlin reported that Putin and Erdogan also discussed “the importance of coordinated measures” to ensure security in the Black Sea.
The security of energy infrastructure is expected to be a key topic of discussion. Recently, Moscow accused Ukraine of attempting to target the TurkStream gas pipeline, which links Russia and Turkey and supplies several European nations, including Hungary and Serbia. On Thursday, Russian state-owned Gazprom claimed its forces repelled a drone attack on the pipeline.
Zelensky’s visit also follows Kyiv’s recent proposal for an Easter ceasefire, which the president said has been relayed to Moscow via the US. While Russia has signaled “unreadiness” for the truce through media channels, Zelensky maintained that the offer remains on the table.
“We’ve conveyed our request to the American side,” Zelensky said recently, noting that Ukraine had also suggested a ceasefire specifically covering energy infrastructure – a proposal Russia has so far ignored, continuing its strikes on Ukrainian substations and transformers.
Zelensky has previously linked the conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, accusing Russia of “fomenting conflict” in the Gulf by supporting the Iranian regime. The Istanbul meeting provides a platform for Zelensky to address these overlapping security threats and Turkey’s role as a mediator in Black Sea grain and energy logistics.