Zelensky names formerly imprisoned Crimean Tatar activist as Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey
President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Nariman Dzhelial, deputy chair of the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, to the position of ambassador to Turkey in a decree issued May 14.
Dzhelial was released from Russian captivity in a prisoner exchange in June 2024.
"To appoint Dzhelial Nariman Enverovych as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Turkey," the presidential decree reads.
Dzhelial served as the first deputy chairman of the Mejlis, a representative body of the Crimean Tatar people. Following the occupation of Crimea, Russian forces banned the Mejlis in 2016, declaring it an "extremist organization."
Dzhelial participated in the first Crimea Platform in Kyiv on Aug. 23, 2021. The platform aimed to build international support for the peninsula's liberation from Russian occupation. On Sept. 4, 2021, Dzhelial was arrested in Crimea and sentenced by a Russian court to 17 years in prison.
He was released alongside nine other prisoners in a swap on June 28, 2024.
The announcement of Dzhelial's appointment comes the day before Zelensky is set to travel to Turkey for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15. The status of the talks remains unclear, as Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed at the last minute that he will not attend.
Zelensky plans to first meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, and potentially fly to Istanbul afterwards.
Turkey has positioned itself as a potential mediator in Russia's all-out war against Ukraine by maintaining diplomatic and economic ties with both nations. Leveraging its strategic position and influence in the Black Sea region, Turkey has facilitated negotiations and grain exports, while expressing willingness to participate in ceasefire monitoring.
