The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the First Lady, Olena Zelenska, attended the opening ceremony of the newly constructed complex of the Embassy of Ukraine in Türkiye. The future Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Türkiye Nariman Dzhelyal was also present.
“It is an honor for me, my wife, the First Lady, and our team to be in Türkiye today at the invitation of President Erdoğan. This is an important official visit by our delegation in such times of hardship. And at such a moment, it is very important that we have support and friendly relations with Türkiye, and personally with President Erdoğan,” the Head of State said.
The embassy opened today in Türkiye is the first to be built abroad during the full-scale Russian aggression. The project was launched back in 2019, when the current Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha was the Ambassador of Ukraine to Türkiye. Construction began in 2021, and despite the war, the President instructed it to be completed, as it is an important contribution to the strengthening of Ukrainian-Turkish relations.
“Our deepest gratitude goes to the entire team that built this embassy, which will represent Ukraine's diplomatic work in Türkiye with dignity,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
The President also spoke with representatives of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar communities about their contribution to the post-war restoration of Ukraine, the process of releasing political prisoners and the return of temporarily occupied territories through diplomatic efforts.
“Diplomacy is the way to go because we do not want to lose our people, as they are the most valuable asset of Ukraine. But everyone should understand that when Ukraine talks about diplomacy, it means a non-violent way to restore justice. Diplomacy does not mean surrendering the territories and sovereignty of our state,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Head of State spoke about Ukraine's position in the negotiation process on the achievement of a just and lasting peace. He recalled the ultimatums that Russia put forward to Ukraine in February-March 2022, particularly in İstanbul.
“If we didn’t yield to all these ultimatums at the most difficult moment, where does the idea come from that Ukraine would do so now? We had no agreements with the Russians at the meeting in Türkiye. As the President of Ukraine, I have never guaranteed or confirmed anything to anyone. Moreover, I was not going to accept Russia's ultimatums and am not going to,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
In addition, the President spoke about the security guarantees Ukraine needs. Our state supports the participation of Türkiye in this process. And this, according to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be one of the topics of his meeting with President Erdoğan today.
