Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Speaker Andriy Parubiy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have discussed the situation around Crimea at a meeting in Istanbul.

"Held a constructive and strategic meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul today. We discussed issues of economic and military-defense cooperation between our states. I stressed the need to maintain the blockade of Crimea as one of the important stages in international support for Ukraine and de-occupation of the peninsula," Parubiy wrote on Facebook on Monday.

He added that the parties discussed the situation of Crimean Tatars and the importance of supporting them internationally.

"Turkey is Ukraine's strategic partner," the Ukrainian speaker said.