ANKARA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday will pay a working visit to Istanbul and meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During one-on-one and interdelegation meetings, Erdogan and Zelenskyy are set to discuss relations between the two countries, as well as regional and international issues, including the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, the Black Sea grain deal which is set to expire on July 17, and ensuring peace and stability in the Black Sea region.

A year ago Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which had been paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began that February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the UN was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

Under the deal, more than 32 million tons of grain have been transported to people in need, according to Turkish officials.

Russian officials have strongly hinted that they could block the extension of the grain deal this month, complaining that parts of the deal to allow Russian exports have gone unfulfilled.

Türkiye, internationally praised for its unique mediator role between Ukraine and Russia, has repeatedly called on Kyiv and Moscow to end the war through negotiations.

*Writing by Diyar Guldogan