Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the next few days.
The Turkish President said this while speaking to the participants of TRT World Forum in Istanbul, Anadolu Agency reported.
According to Erdogan, talks with Putin are scheduled for Sunday, December 11. The main topic will be the operation of the grain corridor. A conversation with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelenski is also scheduled, Erdoğan said.
He also stressed that Ankara’s diplomatic efforts are aimed at achieving peace in the Black Sea region.
“Despite the fact that the Istanbul dialogue process between Russia and Ukraine, has been interrupted, this platform is still the most ideal for long-term peace,” Erdogan is confident.
The Financial Times British newspaper has recognized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “Man of the Year”.
“The president of Ukraine has become the flagship of the democratic world in the global fight against authoritarianism, which could determine the course of this century.
He is the embodiment of the courage and resilience of the entire Ukrainian people in confronting Russian aggression. Zelensky deserves a place in history by his display of leadership and strength of spirit,” the paper says.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held meetings with the foreign ministers of Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden, who arrived on a visit to Kiev.
“Met with the foreign ministers of Estonia – Urmas Reinsalu, Iceland – Tordis Kolbrun Gylfadottir, Latvia – Edgars Rinkevics, Lithuania – Gabrielius Landsbergis, Norway – Anniken Uitfeldt, Finland – Pekka Haavisto and Sweden – Tobias Billström,” Zelensky wrote in Telegram Monday.
“This visit is an important signal of strong support and solidarity of partner countries with Ukraine, especially in times of serious challenges. I thank the Baltic and Nordic countries for their invariably active and effective assistance to Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and independence,” the Ukrainian head of state added.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the issue of his participation in the G-20 summit in Indonesia would be resolved in a few days.
“My personal position and the position of Ukraine was that if the leader of the Russian Federation takes part in the summit, Ukraine will not,” he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday after meeting with Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
“Let’s see how it will be in the future. Today I had a conversation with the President of Indonesia. We keep in touch. In any case, we were invited today. Let’s see. A few days left,” Zelensky said.
The G20 summit will be held in Indonesia on November 15-16.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a conversation with the new Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni.
“I congratulated Giorgia Meloni on her appointment as Prime Minister of Italy. I’m hopeful for further fruitful cooperation. We discussed Ukraine’s integration into EU and NATO. I told about the current situation in our country and invited her to visit Ukraine,” Zelensky said on Twitter.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called on EU leaders to provide the remaining EUR6 billion of macro-financial assistance by the end of the year, a decision in principle on which was made in late May – early June.
“Thank you for the funds that have already been received, but a decision has not yet been made regarding the remaining 6 billion from this package, which are critically needed this year. And it is in your power to come to an agreement in principle today on providing this assistance to our state” , the President said, speaking on Thursday by video link to members of the European Council.
He also spoke about the need for more support for the implementation of the Ukrainian Fast Recovery Plan.
“You have all this data – what exactly we need. We already have an understanding of the necessary funds. This is 3.5 billion euros this year and about 14 billion euros next year,” Zelensky said.
“And so far we have received zero from these funds. And they are vital. As well as the next tranches of Macrofin for Ukraine are vital,” the head of state stressed.
As reported, in late May-early June, the EU tentatively approved the allocation of new emergency macrofinancial assistance to Ukraine for EUR9 billion, of which EUR1 billion was allocated in early August. The remaining EUR8 billion was expected to come in one tranche, but the final decision on them was delayed. One of the reasons cited is the debate over how these funds should be provided: in the form of loans or grants.
As a result, only EUR2 billion was received this week, while the Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis said that the third tranche of EUR3 billion is expected in early December.
