ISTANBUL (AP) – The presidents of Ukraine and Turkey stressed the importance of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, the escalation of tensions in eastern Ukraine and security in the Black Sea following a meeting in Istanbul on Saturday .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Turkey came amid renewed tensions in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists have been fighting since 2014. Russia has bolstered its troops along the border. and has warned Ukraine to try to reclaim separatist-controlled territory. Kiev rejects the statement that it is preparing for an offensive.
The Russian military buildup on the Ukrainian border has raised concerns in the United States and Europe.
“I briefed the Turkish parties on the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – Donbass and Crimea – in particular on the violation of human rights in the peninsula and its ongoing militarization,” Zelenskyy said at a joint press conference .
On a visit to the troops, Zelenskyy said violations of a July truce were on the rise. Separatist authorities have also accused Ukrainian forces of violating the ceasefire.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged the continuation of a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and for both sides to find a solution to the conflict through dialogue.
“We hope the worrying climb we have recently observed in the field will end as soon as possible,” he said.
Erdogan said Turkey “strongly defended Ukraine’s integrity and territorial sovereignty” and reiterated Turkey’s decision not to recognize Russia’s annexation to Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula in 2014. Crimean Tatars have ethnic ties with Turkey.
Zelenskyy said that Turkey’s support was important for the “restoration” of the Ukrainian territories.
The two leaders also discussed the security of the Black Sea, which borders the two nations.
“Our fundamental goal is for the Black Sea to remain a sea of peace and cooperation,” Erdogan said. “We don’t want escalating tensions in our shared geography under any circumstances.”
Erdogan added that Turkey’s cooperation with Ukraine did not mean it was positioning any other country. Turkey is a member of NATO, but Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin have established a close personal relationship, sealing energy, defense and trade agreements. They have also landed on opposing sides in other conflicts, including Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Turkish and Russian presidents spoke by telephone on Friday, discussing Ukraine and other issues. The Kremlin said Putin expressed concern that Ukraine had “recently resumed dangerous provocations on the contact line” in eastern Ukraine.
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Yuras Karmanau in Kiev contributed.