KYIV. Oct 19 (Interfax) - Turkey neither has nor will recognize Crimea's accession to Russia, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
"We perceive Ukraine as a key country in terms of security and stability of our region. And in this framework, we have always supported and will support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea. Turkey did not, and will not recognize Crimea's annexation," Erdogan said at a briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after their meeting in Istanbul on Friday.
Together with Ukrainian state institutions, Turkey will continue to support Crimean Tatars, Erdogan said. "Currently, efforts continue to implement projects to build homes for our brothers - Crimean Tatars, and to build a mosque in Kyiv," he said.
For his part, Zelensky said that his Turkish counterpart had reassured him that he would make active endeavors to secure the release of "political prisoners" in Russia - Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars.
"President Erdogan offered reassurances that he will further make active personal efforts for the release of political prisoners, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars who are detained in Russia illegally," Zelensky said at the briefing.
To ensure human rights in Crimea, Ukraine and Turkey will be closely cooperating at the 75th UN General Assembly Session.
"I have also invited Turkey to join our Crimean Platform project. This is a tool of consolidating international partners to protect Crimeans' rights and de-occupy the Ukrainian peninsula," the Ukrainian president said.