Turkiye’s Erdogan urges Russia and Ukraine to stop Black Sea attacks

Turkish president hosts Zelenskyy in Istanbul as the two leaders agree to work on a new Black Sea grain corridor.

The Turkish and Ukrainian presidents after their joint news conference in Istanbul on Saturday [AFP]

Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged both Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea , as he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to work on a new grain corridor through the waterway.

Erdogan made the comments on Saturday at a joint news conference with Zelenskyy in Istanbul, saying attacks on civilian vessels were unacceptable, whoever carries them out.

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The talks came on the same day US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was growing international interest in a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea to secure grain and energy shipments by both countries.

“It is clear that attacks against civilian vessels and actions that further escalate tensions in the Black Sea serve no one’s interests,” Erdogan said.

“We cannot accept these attacks under any circumstances, regardless of who carries them out or what justification is offered,” he said, adding, “We call on all parties to act responsibly on this matter.”

Turkiye, which maintains ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, has been angered by the strikes on commercial shipping.

Ankara has sent Russia and Ukraine a proposal to end attacks, but says neither side has acted on it.

The Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet struck by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in Black Sea [File: undated handout obtained on Friday/AFP]

Leaders agree to work on grain corridor

Zelenskyy accused Russia of making the situation in the Black Sea difficult and said a significant part of his conversation with Erdogan focused on security there.

“Today, I reached an agreement with President Erdogan to work on the Black Sea grain corridor,” he said.

He said Turkiye supports efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and restore normal living conditions.

“We discussed with President Erdogan some ideas and proposals that can help,” Zelenskyy said, thanking the Turkish leader for the dialogue.

Erdogan said talks to restore safe navigation would continue.

“I believe that reaching an agreement on this issue would also give fresh impetus to efforts to secure lasting peace in Ukraine,” he said.

The US is reviewing proposals by Turkiye and India to get grain shipments moving, according to Rubio.

“This is threatening the world for food security and some energy security as well,” Rubio told a news conference in Atlanta, Georgia, following a G20 foreign ministers meeting. “We’d like to achieve it. It doesn’t solve the war, but at least it solves a unique aspect of it.”

Zelenskyy raises possibility of talks in Turkiye

Erdogan also welcomed renewed momentum behind efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war through diplomatic means, pointing in particular to US President Donald Trump’s initiative.

“At this point, we maintain that there can be no losers in a just peace,” he said, adding, “I would like to emphasise that we stand ready to make every possible effort to pave the way for peace”.

Turkiye has hosted several rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed at a lasting ceasefire and peace deal, which Erdogan said showed that “tangible results can be achieved through diplomacy”.

In a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, Erdogan said Turkiye was ready to support efforts to revive the diplomatic process and end the war, according to the Turkish president’s office.

Last week, the Kremlin said the next round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US was planned to resume in November in the United Arab Emirates.

Zelenskyy said he had discussed that format with Erdogan, along with other options, including involving Turkiye, Europe and other partners, as well as the possibility of a meeting in Turkiye.

“Strong decisions are needed for there to be peace,” he said. “And it is necessary at all levels to send signals to Russia that there is no alternative to peace and that support for Ukraine will continue.”

土耳其总统在伊斯坦布尔会见了泽连斯基，两位领导人同意合作建设新的黑海粮食走廊。

土耳其和乌克兰总统周六在伊斯坦布尔举行联合新闻发布会后 [法新社]

土耳其总统雷杰普·塔伊普·埃尔多安敦促俄罗斯和乌克兰停止在黑海袭击民用船只，此前他与乌克兰总统弗拉基米尔·泽连斯基已同意合作，通过该水道建立一条新的粮食运输走廊。

埃尔多安周六在伊斯坦布尔与泽连斯基举行的联合新闻发布会上发表了上述言论，称无论谁实施袭击，袭击民用船只都是不可接受的。

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名单4/4：从俄罗斯占领的奥列什基撤离的人员经白俄罗斯抵达乌克兰

就在同一天，美国国务卿马可·卢比奥表示，国际社会越来越关注在黑海地区实现有限停火，以确保两国粮食和能源的运输。

埃尔多安说：“很明显，袭击民用船只和进一步加剧黑海紧张局势的行为，对任何人都没有好处。”

他说：“无论谁实施这些袭击，无论给出什么理由，我们都不能接受。”他补充道：“我们呼吁各方对此事采取负责任的行动。”

与莫斯科和基辅都保持联系的土耳其对商业航运遭受的罢工感到愤怒。

安卡拉已向俄罗斯和乌克兰提出停止袭击的提议，但表示双方均未采取行动。

悬挂利比里亚国旗的集装箱船“康特希普喷气机”号在保加利亚黑海专属经济区内遭无人机袭击。[文件：周五获得的未注明日期新闻稿/法新社]

领导人同意共同努力建设粮食走廊

泽连斯基指责俄罗斯使黑海局势变得复杂，并表示他与埃尔多安的谈话很大一部分都集中在黑海安全问题上。

“今天，我与埃尔多安总统达成协议，共同推进黑海粮食走廊项目，”他说。

他表示，土耳其支持为确保黑海航行安全和恢复正常生活条件所做的努力。

泽连斯基表示：“我们与埃尔多安总统讨论了一些可能有所帮助的想法和建议”，并感谢土耳其领导人进行对话。

埃尔多安表示，恢复安全航行的谈判将继续进行。

他说：“我相信，就此问题达成协议也将为确保乌克兰持久和平的努力注入新的动力。”

据鲁比奥称，美国正在审查土耳其和印度提出的恢复粮食运输的提议。

“这威胁到世界的粮食安全，也威胁到部分能源安全，”鲁比奥在佐治亚州亚特兰大举行的二十国集团外长会议后的新闻发布会上说。“我们希望实现这一目标。这虽然不能解决战争，但至少能解决战争的一个特殊方面。”

泽连斯基提出在土耳其举行会谈的可能性

埃尔多安也对通过外交手段结束俄乌战争的努力重新取得进展表示欢迎，并特别提到了美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的倡议。

“在这一点上，我们坚持认为，公正的和平不应该有任何输家，”他说道，“我想强调的是，我们随时准备做出一切可能的努力，为和平铺平道路。”

土耳其主持了多轮俄罗斯和乌克兰之间的会谈，旨在达成持久停火和和平协议。埃尔多安表示，这表明“通过外交手段可以取得切实成果”。

据土耳其总统办公室消息，埃尔多安周三在与特朗普的通话中表示，土耳其准备支持重启外交进程和结束战争的努力。

上周，克里姆林宫表示，俄罗斯、乌克兰和美国之间的下一轮会谈计划于11月在阿拉伯联合酋长国恢复举行。

泽连斯基表示，他曾与埃尔多安讨论过这种形式，以及其他选择，包括让土耳其、欧洲和其他伙伴参与，以及在土耳其举行会议的可能性。

他说：“要实现和平，需要做出强有力的决定。各级政府都必须向俄罗斯发出信号，表明和平是唯一出路，并将继续支持乌克兰。”