Black Sea Must Not Become New Front In Russia-Ukraine War, Türkiye Warns

Türkiye has warned Russia and Ukraine that their growing attacks are putting commercial ships in the Black Sea at risk. The attacks could also affect grain shipments to international markets, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday.

Fidan said both countries were stepping up attacks to gain a military advantage before winter. He warned that the fighting must not spread further into the Black Sea, where Turkish-flagged, Turkish-owned and Turkish-crewed ships have also been affected.

“We must never allow the Black Sea to turn into a new front of conflict,” Fidan said at a joint news conference in Ankara with Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Anita Orban.

He said the attacks threatened lives, ships, navigation and the marine environment. He also warned that grain shipments failing to reach international markets could create food supply problems.

Türkiye, a NATO member that has maintained ties with both Russia and Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, has repeatedly called on both sides to stop attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea.

Ankara has sent both countries a proposal to stop the attacks and help ensure the safe transport of grain. Türkiye is still waiting for their responses.

Fidan said Russia and Ukraine were increasing their attacks as they tried to gain the upper hand before winter. He said Türkiye was sharing its concerns with both sides and working to stop attacks that put shipping at risk.

Since July, Ukraine has stepped up attacks on ships and infrastructure used to support Russian oil and grain exports. Russia has also increased missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s main grain export ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi.

The attacks have raised concerns about the safety of commercial vessels in the Black Sea, including ships connected to Türkiye.

In a meeting in late September, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that attacks by Russia and Ukraine on commercial vessels in the Black Sea were inexplicable and that steps were needed to stop them.

Fidan said attacks on ships could affect food supplies, especially when grain cargoes failed to reach international markets.

Türkiye and the United Nations helped broker the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2022. The agreement allowed Ukraine to export grain safely during the war.

Russia withdrew from the deal the following year, saying its own food and fertiliser exports faced serious obstacles.

Fidan said Türkiye had worked since the start of the war to prevent the fighting from spreading into the Black Sea. He pointed to the country’s implementation of the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits and its role in the grain deal as part of those efforts.

Fidan said the war remained one of the main threats to regional and global stability.

He added that Europe’s security could not be separated from Türkiye’s security, capabilities and resources. He called for proper discussions before countries made long-term security policy decisions.

Fidan said Türkiye had completed preparations to submit the Mecca defence agreement to parliament for approval.

He also said the agreement requires signatories to support one another in defence if one of them comes under attack. He stressed that the pact was not intended to support offensive military action.

He added that the agreement did not allow Türkiye to send troops into another country’s territory to carry out an attack.

Türkiye is still waiting for Russia and Ukraine to respond to its proposal to stop attacks on commercial ships and protect grain shipments. Fidan said preventing the war from spreading further into the Black Sea remained a priority.

References: turkiyetoday, bairdmaritime