Erdogan warns Black Sea should not be ‘area of confrontation’ after strikes

ISTANBUL (AFP): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned that the Black Sea should not turn into an “area of confrontation” between Russia and Ukraine, after several strikes in recent weeks.

“The Black Sea should not be seen as an area of confrontation. This would not benefit Russia or Ukraine. Everyone needs safe navigation in the Black Sea,” he was quoted as telling reporters aboard his plane, according to the official Anadolu news agency.

A Russian air strike damaged a Turkish-owned vessel in a port in Ukraine’s Black Sea region of Odesa, Kyiv and the operator said on Friday. The attack came hours after Erdogan had raised the issue personally with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in Turkmenistan.

Erdogan had called for a “limited ceasefire” concerning attacks on ports and energy facilities in the Russia-Ukraine war, during the face-to-face talks with Putin, according to his office.

On the plane, Erdogan said he mainly discussed the war and peace efforts with Putin, Anadolu reported. 

“Like all other actors, Mr Putin knows very well where Turkiye stands on this issue,” he said.

“After this meeting we held with Putin, we hope to have the opportunity to also discuss the peace plan with US President (Donald) Trump,” he added.

“Peace is not far away, we can see it.”

Turkiye, which has sought to maintain relations with Moscow and Kyiv throughout the war, controls the Bosphorus Strait, a key passage for transporting Ukrainian grain and Russian oil towards the Mediterranean.

Over the past weeks, several attacks also targeted Russia-linked tankers in the Black Sea, some of which were drone attacks claimed by Kyiv.

The attacks sparked harsh criticism from Ankara, which summoned envoys from both Russia and Ukraine.