Ukraine Warupdated 54m ago3 min read
Archive photo · 6 May 2014Erdogan Urges Russia and Ukraine To Stop Black Sea Attacks on Civilian Ships
“Ankara has sent Russia and Ukraine a proposal to end attacks, but says neither side has acted on it.”
“He urged the swift implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level and thanked Türkiye for its continued support, saying cooperation in security and the economy was growing stronger despite difficult circumstances.”
Photo: Till Niermann, CC BY 3.0 · Cropped for layout
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Erdogan and Zelensky agreed to continue work on the Black Sea Grain Corridor. Attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea were declared unacceptable by Erdogan.
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Erdogan urges halt
Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged both Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea, saying attacks on civilian vessels were unacceptable, whoever carries them out. Erdogan made the comments on Saturday at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul, and he said, "We cannot accept these attacks under any circumstances, regardless of who carries them out or what justification is offered,". Zelenskyy said he reached an agreement with Erdogan "to work on the Black Sea grain corridor," and he said Turkiye supports efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and restore normal living conditions.
Marco Rubio said the United States was reviewing proposals by Turkiye and India to get grain shipments moving, warning that disruptions threaten food security and energy security. Erdogan said talks to restore safe navigation would continue, and he said reaching an agreement on the issue would give fresh impetus to efforts to secure lasting peace in Ukraine.
Ceasefire interest grows
Marco Rubio told a news conference in Atlanta, Georgia, that "It is clear that attacks against civilian vessels and actions that further escalate tensions in the Black Sea serve no one’s interests,". Rubio said Washington was studying proposals from Turkiye and India for a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea to secure grain and energy shipments by both countries, while also stressing that it "doesn’t solve the war, but at least it solves a unique aspect of it." Zelenskyy said the talks with Erdogan focused in part on security in the Black Sea, and he said they discussed ideas and proposals that could help achieve safe navigation and food security.
Erdogan welcomed renewed momentum behind efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war through diplomatic means, and he said, "At this point, we maintain that there can be no losers in a just peace,". Zelenskyy raised the possibility of talks in Turkiye, and he said, "Strong decisions are needed for there to be peace," while urging signals to Russia that there is no alternative to peace and that support for Ukraine will continue.
Grain corridor stakes
Zelenskyy said Türkiye supports efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and restore normal living conditions, and he described Türkiye and Ukraine as allies in defense and the defense industry. Zelenskyy said they discussed "some ideas and proposals that can help" strengthen the corridor’s operation, and he said, "The president [Erdoğan] and I have agreed to work on the Black Sea grain corridor so that the corridor exists and is effective." Zelenskyy also linked the push to the Black Sea to energy and infrastructure cooperation, saying, "Especially at a time when the Russians have intensified their terrorist attacks on the energy infrastructure of our cities and villages, every energy project we undertake with our partners carries great importance,".
Erdogan said Turkiye was ready to make every effort to open the path to peace, and he warned that attacks on civilian vessels and steps that would escalate tensions in the Black Sea would benefit no one. Rubio said the Black Sea grain corridor effort builds on the July 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allowed export of about 33 million tons of Ukrainian grain, and he noted that Russia withdrew from that arrangement in 2023.