Zelensky: Erdogan one of few leaders who has opportunity to convey to Russian president understanding it is necessary to end war
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is providing significant support to Ukraine and is taking many steps to end the war, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"Honestly, I don't remember all the details, which of the representatives of Turkey could say this. Personally, we have strong personal relations with President Erdogan. Very good relations. Very warm relations. He helps - the issue is not only in drones, the fact that we bought drones there and this is a big help - there are many questions where Erdogan helped Ukraine. I am very grateful to him. At the political level, he also takes many steps so that the president of Russia has an understanding that the war needs to be ended," Zelensky told foreign journalists on Thursday, commenting on Turkey's refusal to join the sanctions against the Russian Federation.
"Not many world leaders have this opportunity. Many people want it, but few people have such an opportunity. It needs to be such a serious, powerful, influential state for everything, for geopolitics and for the global economy. And Erdogan is like that. He is very strong, he is a very serious president, and he helps. Therefore, I have no questions for him," he stressed.
Zelensky also expressed hope that in the future Turkey will become one of the guarantors of Ukraine's security and will influence the process of negotiations with the Russian Federation.
"I think that he is one of those guarantors of security for Ukraine, and he will definitely be one of those countries that should introduce security guarantees for Ukraine. When we sit down at the negotiating table, I believe in this, with the president of Russia, and it is these security guarantees that Ukraine should receive. Therefore, he will influence this process. I really believe in this," the president said.