Zelensky, Erdogan to meet in Istanbul.

President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on July 7, the Turkish Presidency's Directorate of Communications [1] wrote. The two leaders will hold a joint press conference after the meeting, according to the report. This is an official announcement of Zelensky's visit to Turkey, earlier reported [2] by Turkish news agency Anadolu.

Zelensky's international trips are usually not announced in advance for security reasons. Before Turkey, Ukraine's president visited Bulgaria [3] and Czechia [4] on July 6 to discuss defense assistance and the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, among other topics. According to the Anadolu news outlet, Erdogan and Zelensky are set to discuss relations between the two countries, regional and international issues, the latest developments in Russia's war against Ukraine, and the Black Sea grain agreement, set to expire on July 17.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative [5], brokered by Turkey and the UN in July 2022, has been essential in mitigating a global surge in food prices [6]. Russia's war initially prevented Ukraine from shipping agricultural products through its Black Sea ports. Moscow has threatened not to prolong the agreement unless the West eases its restrictions against Russia's grain and fertilizer exports.

Politico: Zelensky argues with Bulgarian president over his opposition to arming Ukraine

During his July 6 visit to Sofia, President Volodymyr Zelensky argued with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev over his negative stance on arming Ukraine in a televised meeting cited by Politico.