Istanbul, 7 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Istanbul on Friday to meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with a deal to allow the export of Ukrainian grain high on the agenda.

The two leaders will also discuss peace talks with Russia and the upcoming NATO summit, Zelenksy wrote on Twitter. "Reconstruction of Ukraine, defence contracts between our companies" are other topics, he wrote.

Zelensky, who earlier in the day held talks in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, is expected to address a joint press conference with Erdoğan later on Friday.

The grain deal brokered by Turkey and the UN, which since last summer has allowed ships to carry Ukrainian food exports from Black Sea ports despite the ongoing war with Russia, is set to expire on July 17.

Ukraine is among the world's largest grain producers and its exports are seen as vital to stabilizing world food prices.

Russia earlier said it is against renewing the deal citing troubles in Russian agricultural exports as one reason.

On Friday, the UN urged all parties to extend the deal "to prioritize global food security," in a written statement.

Photo: Anadolu