Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the 18th (local time) and argued that Europe should be included in the U.S.-Russia-led negotiations for an end to the war in Ukraine.
According to Agence France-Presse and others, President Zelensky said at a joint press conference after the summit held in Ankara that "Ukraine is, in a broad sense, Europe, which includes the European Union (EU), Turkey, and the United Kingdom."
He added, "Europe must participate in the necessary security development and dialogue related to the fate of our world alongside the United States," asserting that the discussions on ending the war should be conducted fairly.
President Erdoğan responded, "There is no room for disagreement regarding Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty." He evaluated the end-of-war discussions promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump as "a diplomatic initiative aimed at swiftly ending the war through negotiations" and mentioned that "it aligns with Turkey."
President Zelensky visited Turkey after visiting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 16th. The end-of-war negotiations for Ukraine gained momentum as President Trump made direct contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, raising concerns that not only Europe but also Ukraine, a party to the negotiations, could be excluded, suggesting a need to secure allies.
President Zelensky had initially planned to visit Saudi Arabia on the 19th but suddenly postponed it to the 10th of next month. After visiting the UAE the day before, he had scheduled a visit to Saudi Arabia via Turkey but changed the plan the day prior. There are interpretations that this reflects dissatisfaction after being excluded from the end-of-war negotiations between the U.S. and Russia that were held that day in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, Turkey mediated peace negotiations involving the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine shortly after the outbreak of war in March 2022. Additionally, in July of the same year, President Erdoğan facilitated the extension of the Black Sea Grain Agreement, which restored the route for transporting Ukrainian agricultural products by Russia, maintaining close relations with both countries.
On that day, President Erdoğan suggested that "Turkey could be an ideal venue for upcoming talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the United States."