Zelensky Started His Official Visit to Turkey

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will begin his visit to Turkey with a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived with an official visit to Turkey. The press service of the head of state reported on Friday, October 16. It was indicated that the head of state will hold a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "The parties will discuss a wide range of cooperation issues between Ukraine and Turkey. A number of bilateral documents will also be signed," the message says. In turn, Ukrinform reported that soon upon arrival in Istanbul, Zelensky's motorcade went to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. There, the visit program included a joint prayer for Ukraine in the Church of St. George and a meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The summit will begin with a personal conversation between Zelensky and Erdogan. Later, a meeting of delegations in an expanded format is to take place. The ceremony of signing a number of bilateral agreements is scheduled to begin at 17:00ю It will be followed by a joint press conference of the heads of state. The Ukrainian delegation includes Defense Minister Andriy Taran, Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko, Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Taras Kachka, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Petrenko, Naval Commander Oleksiy Neizhpapa. In addition, the heads of the leading enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine flew to Istanbul: Motor Sich OJSC Vyacheslav Boguslaev, GP Ivchenko-Progress Ihor Kravchenko, PJSC FED Viktor Popov. The President is accompanied by his wife Elena Zelenskaya and the head of Office of the Head of State Andriy Yermak. The day before, it was reported that on October 16, Zelensky is going to visit Turkey for a one-day official visit. Recall, on October 13, the Ukrainian government approved signing a new military agreement with Turkey. It is this document that Zelensky and Erdogan must sign.