Former Turkish Ambassador Highlights Ukraine’s Dynamic Society and Strategic Relations

In an interview with Ukrinform, the former Turkish ambassador to Ukraine (2005–2009), now the deputy head of the UN Committee Against Torture, Erdogan Ishjan, shared his impressions of Ukraine.

“Most of all, I was struck by the extraordinary dynamism and dedication of civil society. I was also impressed by the high level of academic life in Ukraine. I enjoyed every visit to universities across the country. The enthusiasm of the students was inspiring. I regarded them as the guarantors of Ukraine’s democracy and prosperity”

Views on Ukraine and Intergovernmental Contacts

After taking up the post in Kyiv, the former ambassador noted that the move forward toward shared values and norms developed by the UN and the Council of Europe was a common ideal for the majority of the Ukrainian people, and it gave great hopes.

“Of course, there were difficulties that needed to be overcome… Internal political stability still had to be strengthened… But I saw that there was the political will to address all the problems. It is only a matter of time to achieve a satisfactory level of democratic governance”

Regarding bilateral relations with Turkey, the diplomat believes they were naturally destined to become strategic, as historically both countries have always respected mutual interests and were ready for dialogue and expanding cooperation.

During his diplomatic tenure, bilateral consultations increased at both the political and technical levels, involving civilian and military representatives from both governments. He also recalls the historic visit of His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew to Kyiv in July 2008.

“Throughout history, despite periodic ups and downs, the relations between the two countries have always rested on respect for mutual interests. As neighbors in a volatile region, cooperation was destined to be strategic. In that context, I prioritized strengthening and expanding channels of dialogue to improve the basis for developing a partnership”

The diplomat shared optimistic forecasts and did not foresee the start of a full-scale war. He expressed a wish to turn back time and restore the state as it was before, but stressed that the priority should be an immediate stop to military confrontation and the restoration of diplomacy aimed at a solution that would satisfy the Ukrainian people. It will be a long and challenging process, he noted.

Key thoughts from Ishjan indicate that the international community sees Ukraine’s steps as a basis for further Euro-Atlantic integration and stable development, and also point to the importance of dialogue and adherence to international law in the current geopolitical context.