Frank-Walter Steinmeier

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on April 22 arrived in Istanbul as he embarked on a three-day tour to Türkiye, marking his first visit to the country in his seven-year duty as the head of the state.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, German Ambassador to Ankara Jürgen Schulz and Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Başar Şen welcomed Steinmeier at Istanbul Airport.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' upcoming visit to Türkiye presents an opportunity to enhance ties between Ankara and Athens.

"This visit is an important stage in Türkiye-Greece relations," Erdogan told a group of journalists in Istanbul on April 19.

Cerstin Gammelin, spokeswoman for the German president, conveyed that Frank-Walter Steinmeier will abstain from extending congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his victory in the perceived fraudulent elections.

The European Union won't serve its own best interests if it doesn't consider designating some parts of Syria as safe zones so refugees and migrants can return there, the president of Cyprus said Monday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected in Berlin on Friday on a short visit to Germany as the two countries' stances on the war between Israel and Hamas are poles apart.

Erdogan is due to meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Germany's largely ceremonial president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Scholz invited Erdogan to visit in May following his re-election.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan set off for Germany on a short visit upon the invitation of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss bilateral ties, Türkiye's accession to the EU and the ongoing offensive by Israel against the civilians in Gaza.

The two leaders had agreed on Erdoğan's visit after the Turkish president's reelection in May polls.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou has contacted her German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, to brief him on the devastating wildfires that have afflicted Greece. She expressed her gratitude for the assistance extended to the country.

Victims of the 1993 Solingen arson attack, in which five Turks lost their lives in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia State, have been commemorated with an event attended by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Day 445 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Israel's President Isaac Herzog (C-L), Polish President Andrzej Duda (C) and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C-R) during the official celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in Warsaw, Poland, 19 April 2023. EPA-EFE/Leszek Szymanski