The Turkish presidential administration has officially confirmed that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy will pay a working visit to Ankara on Saturday, October 31, 2026. According to RBC-Ukraine citing the Hurriyet newspaper, this was announced by Burhanettin Duran, Director of Communications for Recep Tayyip Erdogan's presidential administration. According to him, the trip was organized at the direct invitation of the Turkish leader.
Official Confirmation of the Visit
«At the invitation of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will pay a working visit to our country on October 31, 2026,» Duran stated. Thus, Ankara has publicly fixed the date and format of the meeting between the two heads of state, emphasizing the status of the visit as working rather than protocol.
Istanbul Talks Agenda
According to the Turkish side, during the talks in Istanbul, the leaders of the two countries will focus on steps to deepen bilateral cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine. In addition to the economic and political tracks, the agenda will include regional and international issues, with the Russian-Ukrainian war and the situation in the Black Sea highlighted as key topics.
The Black Sea and the Diplomatic Track
The context for the upcoming meeting was Erdogan's recent telephone conversation with US leader Donald Trump, during which the Turkish president stated Ankara's readiness to join the resumption of diplomatic dialogue between Ukraine and Russia. Simultaneously, Turkey has publicly called on Kyiv and Moscow to halt attacks in the Black Sea.
Ankara's New Stance on Vessel Incidents
Of particular note is that Ankara has stated for the first time its intention to take «legal measures» in the event of strikes against vessels associated with Turkey. The combination of these steps indicates that Zelenskyy's visit to Istanbul will serve as a platform for coordinating positions on security in the Black Sea region and the further diplomatic line.
