Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday warned against turning the Black Sea into a “confrontation zone” between Russia and Ukraine, following a series of recent strikes in the region.
اضافة اعلان
Speaking to journalists aboard his plane, Erdoğan said, “The Black Sea should not be viewed as a confrontation zone. This benefits neither Russia nor Ukraine. Everyone needs safe maritime routes in the Black Sea.”
The warning comes after a Russian airstrike damaged a Turkish vessel at the port of Odesa in Ukraine’s Black Sea region, as confirmed by Kyiv and the ship’s operating company on Friday.
Earlier, Erdoğan personally raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in Turkmenistan, calling for a “partial ceasefire” concerning attacks on ports and energy facilities amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
Erdoğan told reporters that he mainly discussed the war and peace efforts with Putin, adding, “Like all other parties, Putin is well aware of Turkey’s stance on this issue. After this meeting, we hope to have the opportunity to discuss a peace plan with U.S. President Donald Trump as well.”
He added, “Peace is not far; we are beginning to see it.”
Turkey, which has maintained relations with both Moscow and Kyiv throughout the conflict, controls the Bosporus Strait, a critical route for transporting Ukrainian grain and Russian oil to the Mediterranean.
In recent weeks, several attacks have targeted Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, some carried out by drones with Kyiv claiming responsibility. These attacks have drawn sharp criticism from Ankara, which summoned Russian and Ukrainian envoys to express its concerns.
