Zelensky and Erdogan Hold Istanbul Talks on Black Sea Security and Peace Push

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday, 31 October 2026, for the latest round of the Zelensky Erdogan Istanbul talks, with security in the Black Sea and diplomatic options for ending Russia’s war in Ukraine at the top of the agenda.

Zelensky arrived in Istanbul on Saturday at Erdogan’s invitation and was received by the Turkish president at his Dolmabahce office overlooking the Bosphorus. Announcing his arrival on Telegram, Zelensky said: “My team and I have arrived in Istanbul. Important talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lie ahead.”

FAKTA

• Who met: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Istanbul on Saturday, 31 October 2026.
• Where: Erdogan’s Dolmabahce office overlooking the Bosphorus, with a joint news conference planned after the meeting.
• On the agenda: Bilateral cooperation, the Russia-Ukraine war and security in the Black Sea, according to the Turkish presidency.
• Why now: Attacks on Black Sea shipping have increased in recent months, and Kyiv hopes trilateral talks with Russia and the United States can take place in Abu Dhabi between 6 and 10 November.
• What is not yet known: No joint outcome from the Istanbul meeting had been made public in the reports available at the time of writing.

Why the Zelensky Erdogan Istanbul talks matter

Turkey has kept channels open to both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and has hosted several rounds of talks between the two sides. Saturday’s meeting comes as Kyiv tries to revive diplomatic efforts after more than four and a half years of war, with Zelensky saying Ukraine is pursuing every available diplomatic opportunity.

Zelensky said the agenda included strengthening the protection of civilians, deepening the partnership between Kyiv and Ankara, and assessing realistic diplomatic options for achieving peace. The Turkish presidency’s communications director, Burhanettin Duran, said on Friday that the talks would address steps to further enhance bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments, most notably the war and the security situation in the Black Sea.

Black Sea security at the centre

Security for commercial shipping in the Black Sea has become a separate and urgent item on the agenda. Attacks by both Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea have increased in recent months, prompting Ankara to call in August for a halt to attacks targeting ships, following several incidents involving Turkish-flagged vessels.

Erdogan told the United Nations General Assembly in September that attacks on commercial vessels were unacceptable, and Ankara has proposed an end to strikes on civilian ships, saying it is awaiting responses from Moscow and Kyiv. Turkey has also put forward a draft agreement aimed at halting attacks on civilian vessels, drawing on the framework of the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in 2022.

What comes next: November diplomacy

Earlier this week, Zelensky said Kyiv hoped trilateral consultations between negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States could take place in Abu Dhabi between 6 and 10 November, though final arrangements still require confirmation from Washington. Kyiv has also called for Europe to be involved in discussions on ending the war.

Russia’s presidential foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, has said Moscow is ready to resume trilateral talks after the National Unity Day holiday on 4 November, describing the upcoming session as exploratory. The Istanbul meeting also followed a telephone call late on 28 October between Erdogan and United States President Donald Trump, after which the Turkish presidency said Ankara was ready to contribute directly to international efforts to restart the diplomatic process.

During his visit to Istanbul, Zelensky was also scheduled to meet Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The two leaders last met in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where they discussed Black Sea security and possible Turkish involvement in future peace talks.

More of Watan News’ coverage of the region can be found on our Europe news page.