Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly condemned attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, warning that such incidents risk escalating regional tensions and serve no one’s interests.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul, Erdogan said attacks on civilian vessels were unacceptable, regardless of who carried them out or what justification was provided.
“We cannot accept these attacks under any circumstances, regardless of who carries them out or what justification is offered. We call on all parties to act responsibly on this matter,” he said.
Turkiye, which maintains relations with both Russia and Ukraine, has reportedly submitted a proposal to the two countries seeking an end to strikes against civilian vessels. However, Ankara says neither side has taken action on the initiative.
Zelensky accused Russia of worsening security conditions in the Black Sea, saying regional security concerns had featured prominently in his discussions with Erdogan.
The Turkish president said talks aimed at restoring safe navigation in the Black Sea would continue, expressing hope that an agreement could also revive efforts to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine.
Erdogan also welcomed renewed diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly an initiative led by US President Donald Trump.
“At this point, we maintain that there can be no losers in a just peace,” he said.
Last week, the Kremlin said the next round of talks involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States was expected to resume in November in the United Arab Emirates.
Zelensky said he had discussed the proposed format of the negotiations with Erdogan, along with the possibility of involving Turkiye, European countries and other international partners.
Meanwhile, the administration of US President Donald Trump has approved the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, the US State Department announced.
The proposed sale, which will be submitted to Congress for review, comes amid concerns raised by Ukrainian officials over declining stocks of interceptor missiles.
In a statement, the State Department said the sale would strengthen Ukraine’s ability to address existing and emerging threats by improving its integrated air and missile defence capabilities.
However, the department did not specify when the missiles would be delivered.
Zelensky warned that the delivery process could take several years. In a post on X late Friday, he said shipments might not begin until several years from now.
