Turkish president says Ukraine 'deserves to be in NATO': report

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan endorsed Ukraine's bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization during his "dear friend" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's trip to Istanbul on Saturday, according to CNN's Hira Humayun, Radina Gigova, Mariya Knight, Tara John, and Gul Tuysuz as well as Politico's Christian Oliver.

Erdoğan's nod came amidst Ukraine's counter-offensive campaign to halt Russian President Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion, which is now in its seventeenth bloody month.

"After more than two hours of talks at the Vahdettin mansion in Istanbul, Erdoğan also backed Kyiv's membership of NATO and offered a robust defense of Ukraine's independence, declaring Russia's seizure of Ukrainian territory to have contravened international law," Oliver wrote.

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"Without a doubt, Ukraine deserves to be in NATO," Erdoğan said at a joint press conference with Zelenskyy. Per CNN, Zelenskyy replied that he was "happy to hear" of Turkey's backing of his nation's desire to join the Western alliance, which has armed Ukraine in its fight against Putin.

Erdoğan, Politico added, stated that "Turkey had made the 'most effort' of any country in previous attempts at diplomacy and stressing Ankara's role in a deal to allow Ukraine to export grain out of the Black Sea, Erdoğan insisted Turkey had the 'most sincere desire' to see Kyiv and Moscow return to the negotiating table."

Politico further noted that "Zelenskyy also observed that 'Turkey is ready to assume a leadership role' in Kyiv's peace plan. Erdoğan confirmed that Turkish companies stood ready to take part in reconstruction."

Meanwhile, Erdoğan revealed that he and Putin are scheduled to meet in Turkey next month.

READ MORE: Zelenskyy: 'The war is not over' until Ukraine retakes Crimea

Politico's report continues at this link. CNN's is here.