President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine is scheduled to meet with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Ukraine’s aspirations to join NATO and obtain more weapons from its allies. Zelensky is currently on a tour to advance Ukraine’s bid to join NATO and gain support from international partners. The talks with Erdogan will also cover an expiring deal to ship Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea and Sweden’s NATO membership. Sweden’s candidacy is currently being blocked by Turkey due to a dispute over alleged Kurdish militants in Sweden. Zelensky hopes to persuade Erdogan to support Sweden’s NATO membership during the upcoming NATO summit. Erdogan is an influential figure in the conflict and has been involved in peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. He has attempted to mediate an end to the war and is pushing for more talks. Both Zelensky and Erdogan want to extend a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey with Russia, which allows Ukraine to export grain to global markets during the ongoing war. This deal is set to expire unless Russia agrees to its renewal. Zelensky’s visit to Bulgaria prior to the meeting with Erdogan was aimed at discussing weapons deliveries with Bulgaria, a major supporter and ammunition producer. Meanwhile, the Pentagon in the US is reportedly preparing a new package of arms and ammunition for Ukraine, which might include controversial cluster bombs. Cluster bombs are rockets that disperse multiple small explosives over a large area. These weapons have already been used by Russian and Ukrainian forces in the war. However, human rights groups have criticized the plan, citing the dangers these weapons pose to civilians as unexploded bomblets can remain active for years. Zelensky’s visit to Bulgaria and his efforts to involve other countries in the war have drawn criticism from Russia. The fate of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner group, remains unclear following the collapse of his mutiny. Initially, it was reported that Prigozhin had been exiled to Belarus, but Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has stated that Prigozhin is not in Belarus and is actually in Saint Petersburg. Lukashenko also mentioned that Wagner mercenaries have not established a base in Belarus despite an offer from the Kremlin for them to relocate. The situation in Ukraine remains tense, with a recent Russian missile attack on Lviv resulting in casualties. Nine people were killed and 42 others were wounded. The attack targeted civilian infrastructure and violated the World Heritage Convention, according to UNESCO. Rescue efforts are underway to help those trapped in buildings affected by the attack. The US support for Ukraine and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine continue to be major concerns in the region and globally.