Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Istanbul on April 4, 2026, for a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Swedish media reports. The meeting occurred one day after Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the same sources. Zelenskyy reportedly confirmed on social media platform X that he had arrived in Istanbul for "important meetings" and described "comprehensive" talks with the Turkish president focused primarily on security cooperation.
Moscow has accused Kyiv of attacking a gas pipeline running between Russia and Turkey that supplies several European countries with gas, according to the reports. In his social media post, Zelenskyy stated, "We are working to strengthen our partnership to secure real protection for people's lives, to strengthen stability and guarantee security in our Europe, as well as in the Middle East," without directly mentioning the gas pipeline allegations. Both sources indicate the meeting was part of ongoing diplomatic efforts amid regional tensions.
We are working to strengthen our partnership to secure real protection for people's lives, to strengthen stability and guarantee security in our Europe, as well as in the Middle East.