Ukraine's Zelenskiy Says Türkiye Is a Partner in Security Guarantees 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine March 12, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine March 12, 2025. (Reuters)
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Ukraine's Zelenskiy Says Türkiye Is a Partner in Security Guarantees 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine March 12, 2025. (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a press conference, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine March 12, 2025. (Reuters)

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Ukraine saw Türkiye as a partner in security guarantees for his country, and added that Kyiv was ready to ratify a free trade agreement between the states.

NATO member Türkiye has balanced ties with Kyiv and Moscow since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It has maintained good ties with both, supporting Ukraine militarily and backing its territorial integrity, while refusing to join sanctions on Russia.

As Europe scrambles to bolster its own defense and security, while seeking guarantees for Kyiv under any possible ceasefire deal with Moscow urged by Washington, Türkiye has emerged as a key potential security partner.

On Thursday, Zelenskiy met Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat and Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumakli in Kyiv, and discussed bilateral ties, cooperation in drone production, and Turkish firms' involvement in Ukraine's reconstruction.

"It is important that Turkish businesses are already present in Ukraine. Our country appreciates this, as well as Türkiye's support and assistance, particularly the supply of Bayraktar drones," Zelenskiy said on X.

"Ukraine considers Türkiye one of its strategic partners, as well as a partner in terms of security guarantees, and is ready to ratify the Free Trade Agreement with Türkiye during President (Tayyip) Erdogan's upcoming visit," he added, without specifying when he would visit.

Bolat and Yumakli also attended the first meeting of a task force between Türkiye and Ukraine for the reconstruction of the country after the war.

Bolat said on X the meeting was attended by more than 20 companies in Türkiye's contracting and technical consultancy sectors as well as Ukrainian state and private sector representatives involved in the country's reconstruction.

He said Turkish contractors were ready to share their experience and knowledge for future projects.



Azerbaijan Says Armenia Fired on It, Yerevan Denies the Claim

A view through a car window shows a damaged entrance sign of Stepanakert city, known as Khankendi by Azerbaijan, following a military operation conducted by Azeri armed forces and a further mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, October 2, 2023. (Reuters)
A view through a car window shows a damaged entrance sign of Stepanakert city, known as Khankendi by Azerbaijan, following a military operation conducted by Azeri armed forces and a further mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, October 2, 2023. (Reuters)
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Azerbaijan Says Armenia Fired on It, Yerevan Denies the Claim

A view through a car window shows a damaged entrance sign of Stepanakert city, known as Khankendi by Azerbaijan, following a military operation conducted by Azeri armed forces and a further mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, October 2, 2023. (Reuters)
A view through a car window shows a damaged entrance sign of Stepanakert city, known as Khankendi by Azerbaijan, following a military operation conducted by Azeri armed forces and a further mass exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, October 2, 2023. (Reuters)

Azerbaijan on Sunday accused Armenian forces of shooting at Azerbaijani positions from the southern Syunik province of Armenia, a claim Yerevan dismissed as untrue.

Azerbaijan's defense ministry said in a statement that Armenian forces had opened fire with small arms on Sunday morning from the Goris area. It gave no further details.

Armenia's defense ministry said the statement from Azerbaijan was untrue.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify the situation in the area.

Baku and Yerevan said on Thursday that they had agreed the text of a peace agreement to end nearly four decades of conflict between the South Caucasus countries, a sudden breakthrough in a fitful and often bitter peace process.