The October 31 meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul showed Ukraine trying to advance war diplomacy alongside a practical question: security in the Black Sea. That is a defensible strategy, but it is not yet a breakthrough. Turkey offered a venue and continued engagement, not an agreed mechanism or a deal with Russia.
After the talks, Zelenskyy said the sides discussed a trilateral format involving Ukraine, the United States and Russia in the first half of November, as well as the possibility of holding a meeting in Turkey and involving other partners. According to Ukrinform, he said Kyiv supports a leaders’ meeting in Turkey. That is a political signal that Ukraine is willing to see Ankara as more than a bilateral partner, potentially also as a diplomatic hub.
Erdogan said Turkey would continue talks with the parties and would also raise restoring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea with Russia. He said such an agreement could help efforts to establish a lasting peace. That is Erdogan’s assessment, not evidence that an agreement has been reached. The Turkish president also repeated Ankara’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.
Linking the two issues makes sense. Maritime security requires communication channels, verifiable rules and conduct by the parties, rather than broad political statements alone. Putting it before the presidents may therefore create a more concrete test of diplomacy than general declarations about peace.
The strongest counterargument is straightforward: discussing a format does not show that Russia has accepted negotiations, a Turkish venue or rules for navigation. The available reports contain no Russian response and no details of a prospective security mechanism.
The next issue to watch is whether the date and participants for a trilateral meeting are confirmed, and whether an agreed, workable arrangement for safe navigation in the Black Sea emerges.
Sources
- Укрінформ · Source date: 2026-10-31
- Укрінформ · Source date: 2026-10-31
- Українська правда · Source date: 2026-10-31
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-10-31