Turkey warned Russia against actions that could threaten security and navigation in the Black Sea, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Tuesday, while renewing Ankara’s offer to host fresh peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.
Speaking alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Fidan said Turkey had conveyed its expectation that all parties avoid incidents that could harm Turkish interests in the strategically important Black Sea region.
“I conveyed our expectation to avoid any incidents that could harm our country’s interests in the Black Sea,” Fidan said, adding that the two sides discussed ways to improve maritime safety and prevent further escalation.
The remarks come after a series of drone attacks targeting vessels near Turkey’s northern coast. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of carrying out attacks on commercial shipping, including incidents involving Turkish-owned vessels. Ankara has formally protested to both sides over the attacks.
Turkey, which has maintained working relations with both Russia and Ukraine since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in 2022, has repeatedly positioned itself as a mediator in the conflict. Ankara hosted previous rounds of negotiations and brokered the Black Sea grain export initiative during the early stages of the war.
Fidan said Turkey remained ready to host a new round of direct talks.
“If the sides agree, we are prepared to host future negotiations and discuss ways to make the process more result-oriented,” he said.
The Black Sea has become an increasingly sensitive security arena for Turkey as attacks on shipping, energy infrastructure and military assets intensify. The waterway is a vital corridor for grain exports, energy supplies and regional trade linking Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Mediterranean.
Turkey’s renewed diplomatic push comes ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara next month, where Black Sea security and the war in Ukraine are expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
Ankara has sought to balance its NATO commitments with its economic and strategic ties to Russia, while supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity and opposing attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Kyiv formally asked Turkey in April to facilitate a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, a proposal Ankara says remains on the table.
Despite repeated mediation efforts, diplomatic progress has remained limited as fighting continues along the front line and both sides accuse each other of escalating attacks in the Black Sea region.
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