Erdoğan congratulates Ukraine for Independence Day
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has congratulated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the occasion of the 34th Independence Day of the country.
“On behalf of my nation and myself, I extend my most heartfelt congratulations to your Excellency and to the friendly people of Ukraine on the occasion of Ukraine’s Independence Day,” wrote Erdoğan in his message to Zelensky on Aug. 24.
“Our comprehensive cooperation, which contributes to the prosperity of our countries and peoples, continues to grow stronger with each passing year, gaining a multidimensional and multilayered character,” said Erdoğan.
“I am convinced that the Türkiye-Ukraine strategic partnership is of the utmost importance for trust and stability both at the regional and global level,” the president recalled, wishing peace, prosperity and well-being for the people of Ukraine.
Zelensky thanked Erdoğan through a message he posted on his social media account.
“I deeply appreciate President of Türkiye Erdoğan’s wise and cordial words on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day,” he said.
“I completely agree with you that the Turkish-Ukrainian strategic partnership is crucial for our nations and also for regional and global stability. We are grateful for your personal efforts to achieve peace and look forward to developing our cooperation in all areas,” he added.
Türkiye has long been exerting efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the ongoing occupation of Ukraine by Russia.
It supported the recent diplomatic initiatives of United States President Donald Trump, who held separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, as well as prominent European leaders.
Erdoğan has repeatedly declared Türkiye’s readiness to host the two warring sides’ leaders to end the war and sign a permanent peace deal.
Zelensky, in a statement last weekend, cited Istanbul as one of the potential venues of a meeting should Putin agree to end the war.
He also underlined that Türkiye stands ready to lead a military mission in the Black Sea as part of the post-war security guarantees to be provided to Ukraine.
European countries and the U.S. are mulling over a comprehensive security package to be granted to Ukraine to avoid new wars or conflicts with Russia.
