Turkey confirms its commitment to further development of relations with Ukraine, Turkish Foreign Ministry said on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ankara and Kyiv.

Turkey supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, does not recognize the illegal annexation of Crimea and stands for a peaceful solution in Donbass in accordance with international law, the statement says.

Mutual steps that will be taken in the coming period and during the 10th meeting of the High-Level Strategic Council, which will be held today in Kyiv with the participation of our esteemed President, will help expand and deepen the scope of our bilateral cooperation. On the 30th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations, we reaffirm our will to further develop our cooperation in all fields for the benefit of our peoples, the statement says.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also stressed that joint efforts to protect the rights and interests of our Crimean Tatars, which are the bridge of friendship and cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey, further strengthen Turkish-Ukrainian relations.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will arrive in Kyiv on Thursday. The parties are expected to sign a number of agreements. In addition to bilateral topics, the Turkish leader intends to discuss with the leadership of Ukraine the tension between Kyiv and Moscow.