Reuters: Erdogan urges halt to Black Sea shipping attacks as Turkey mediates for peace
In talks with Zelenskiy, Turkish president says attacks on commercial vessels are unjustified and Turkey has proposed measures to both sides to stop them
Erdoğan urged an end to Black Sea shipping attacks and highlighted Turkey’s mediation efforts, including proposals to both sides, in a meeting with Zelenskiy reported by Reuters via IRNA. The Turkish presidency repeated the call for shipping security and noted Turkish casualties. The report underscores Turkey’s balancing role among NATO, Kyiv, and Moscow and references prior mediation efforts connected to the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
According to a report cited by Iran’s IRNA from Reuters, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that attacks by Russia and Ukraine on commercial ships in the Black Sea are unjustifiable and must stop. Erdoğan also stressed Turkey’s readiness to do whatever it can to end the war and secure a durable peace, and to continue direct negotiations toward that end. The Turkish presidency’s statement added that Ankara believes action is needed to ensure shipping security in the Black Sea and that the attacks on commercial ships are indefensible; it said Turkey has put forward proposals to Ukraine and Russia to halt the attacks and is awaiting a response from both sides. Some of the attacks have targeted ships owned by Turkey and led to Turkish casualties.