President Tayyip Erdogan has called for the "worrying" developments in eastern Ukraine's Donbass region to come to an end after meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Istanbul on Saturday.

He added that Turkey was ready to provide any necessary support.

Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held talks in Istanbul on Saturday amid tensions between Kyiv and Moscow over the long-running conflict in Donbass.

Speaking at a news conference alongside Zelenskiy, the Turkish leader said he hoped the conflict would be resolved peacefully, through dialogue based on diplomatic customs, in line with international laws and Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, Zelenskiy said the two countries agreed on the threats in the region and what the response should be to these threats.

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NATO member Turkey has been increasingly close to Russia in recent years despite disagreement over Crimea.

Kyiv has raised the alarm over a buildup of Russian forces near the border between Ukraine and Russia. It has also highlighted a rise in violence along the line of contact separating Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists in the region.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Andrii Taran said on Saturday that his country could be provoked by Russian aggravation of the situation in Donbass. He said Russian accusations about the rights of Russian speakers being violated could be the reason for the resumption of armed aggression against Ukraine.

"At the same time, it should be noted that the intensification of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is possible only if an appropriate political decision is made at the highest level in the Kremlin," he said in a statement.

The Russian military movements have fueled concerns that Moscow is preparing to send forces into Ukraine. The Kremlin, however, denies its troops are a threat, but says they will remain as long as it sees fit.

The bilateral talks will be followed by a joint news conference by Zelenskiy and Erdogan. 

On Friday, Turkey said Washington will send two warships to the Black Sea next week.

The ships will pass through the Bosporus and enter the increasingly restless region on April 14 and 15. They will leave on May 4 and May 5, a Turkish foreign ministry source told reporters.

NATO member Turkey has forged close cooperation with Russia over conflicts in Syria, Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as in the defence and energy areas. But it has criticized Russia for Crimea and supported Ukraine's territorial integrity. 

It also sold drones to Kyiv in 2019.

Ukraine and Russia have traded blame for the increase in violence in the conflict, which Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a call with Erdogan on Friday, accused Ukraine of "dangerous provocative actions" in Donbass.

On Wednesday Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said, "We want the problems between the two countries to be solved in a peaceful manner, through dialogue. We are trying to keep balance with Russia and other Black Sea coastal countries without causing a crisis."

Erdogan's office said before the meeting that all aspects of Turkey-Ukraine ties and steps to deepen cooperation would be discussed.

"Regional and international issues will be on the agenda of the talks as well, on the basis of the understanding that peace and stability be preserved," said the statement.