Charity concert held in Turkish capital to mark Ukraine's independence day

By Muhammet Tarhan

ANKARA (AA) - A charity concert was held Thursday in the Turkish capital Ankara on the occasion of Ukraine’s independence day.

The event, which was held at the construction site of Ukraine’s new embassy and attended by many guests, began with a moment of silence and the singing of the national anthems of the two countries.

Speaking at the ceremony, Türkiye’s Minister for Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, celebrated the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence Day.

"As before, we will continue to stand by the Ukrainian people and their children in their difficult times," Kurum said.

He expressed his wish for an end to the war in Ukraine and stressed the importance of stability in the region.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye, Vasyl Vodnar, for his part said: “The construction site of our new embassy is very symbolic. We are defending and rebuilding Ukraine at the same time. And we would like to have you being with us.”

“Türkiye was among the first to stand behind Ukraine. From the very first days of the war, we received invaluable support from the Turkish government and people,” he said.

Vodnar praised the “strong political and practical support” and the humanitarian assistance provided by Türkiye to his war-torn country.

He also hailed Türkiye’s mediation and facilitation efforts in the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine as well as the grain export agreement, which he called a “strong contribution to global food security.”

Following the speeches, the event ended with a concert led by Ukrainian maestro Yevhen Kostrytskyi.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February.

A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the UN was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments from Yuzhny, Chornomorsk and Odesa ports.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz