Ukraine's Foreign Minister meets his Turkish counterpart for the first time

On Wednesday 21 June, Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, held his first meeting with Hakan Fidan, the newly appointed head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, in London on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference.

Source: Kuleba announced this on Twitter, reports European Pravda

Details: According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, he and his Turkish counterpart discussed "a wide range of areas where Ukraine and Türkiye can advance bilateral cooperation".

First meeting with @HakanFidan. We discussed a wide range of areas where Ukraine and Türkiye can advance bilateral cooperation. I reaffirmed Ukraine’s interest in maintaining and expanding the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as well as mobilising global support for the Peace Formula. pic.twitter.com/3EiSmvPSXk

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) June 21, 2023

Quote: "I reaffirmed Ukraine’s interest in maintaining and expanding the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as well as mobilising global support for the Peace Formula," Kuleba added.

Background: On 8 June, the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Türkiye held their first telephone conversation, during which they discussed, among other things, the consequences of Russia blowing up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant. 

Hakan Fidan is the head of Turkish intelligence (MIT) and a former military man who was an adviser to Erdoğan when he was still serving as prime minister.

The new Turkish Foreign Minister is known to have participated in negotiations on the exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia. In October, the head of the President's Office, Andrii Yermak, thanked Fidan "for facilitating the release of 215 soldiers and ensuring conditions for the defenders of Azovstal in Türkiye".

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