Erdogan: Turkey on Ukraine's side

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Published: Today 01.19 

Updated: Less than 1 hour ago 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Lviv. 1 of 3 Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine via AP/TT 

NEWS 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the country is on Ukraine's side in the conflict. The statement comes just two weeks after the president pledged to strengthen political and economic cooperation with Russia. 

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lviv in western Ukraine. 

Two weeks earlier, Erdogan met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi. Both parties then promised to strengthen political and economic cooperation. 

Supporting Ukraine 

But during the visit to Lviv, Erdogan stated that Turkey supports Ukraine and will continue its diplomatic efforts to end the fighting. 

- While we continue our efforts to find a solution, we remain on the side of our Ukrainian friends, Erdogan said according to AFP.

Zelenskyy praised Erdogan's visit to Ukraine, the Turkish leader's first since the Russian offensive began in late February. 

- The Turkish president's visit to Ukraine is a powerful message of support from such a powerful country, says Zelensky. 

Zaporizhzhya in focus 

After the meeting, Erdogan warns of the risk that an accident that he describes as "another Chernobyl" could happen at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. 

President Zelensky calls on the UN to ensure safety at the nuclear power plant. He criticizes what he describes as "deliberate" Russian attacks on the nuclear power plant. Ukraine and Russia have previously accused each other of being behind attacks on the nuclear power plant. 

In addition to the tense situation surrounding the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, facilitation of grain exports from Ukraine was discussed. 

Russian villages evacuated 

Meanwhile, two Russian villages near the border with eastern Ukraine have been evacuated after a fire broke out in an ammunition depot, local authorities said. 

No one is reported to have been injured, and according to the region's governor Vyatjeslav Gladkov, the cause of the fire is being investigated. 

The fire comes after several explosions occurred at a Russian ammunition depot on the occupied Crimean peninsula this week. Much remains unclear about the explosions and Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility for any of them.