Ukraine pleased over cooperation with Turkey

By Talha Yavuz

KIEV (AA) - Ukraine is pleased to have had “excellent” cooperation with Turkey throughout 2020, the Ukrainian foreign minister said Thursday.

Speaking at a virtual news conference, Dmytro Kuleba said Black Sea and the aviation sector will be the top issues in which the two countries will seek further cooperation.

Saying that he was glad to host Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in the capital Kiev last week, he added that he was looking forward to the next meeting in 2021.

“The setting of the 2+2 meetings was important for political dialogue [between Turkey and Ukraine]," he said. "I would like to remind you that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were the ones who agreed on this new format."

Last week, Turkey and Ukraine in a joint declaration resolved to further develop and strengthen the strategic partnership. They also called for exploring new avenues of cooperation between the two naval forces.

The ministers also confirmed their intention to hold the next "quadriga" meeting in Turkey in 2021.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal visited the Turkish capital Ankara in November, and met senior officials including President Erdogan.