Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea and called on Russia and Ukraine to act responsibly. He made the statement at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.
“For us, such attacks are completely unacceptable, regardless of who carries them out and what justifications are given. We call on all parties to act responsibly on this issue“, Erdogan said.
According to him, attacks on civilian vessels and actions that further escalate tensions in the Black Sea are not in the interest of any of the parties. The talks between the two presidents covered security measures in the region, the war between Russia and Ukraine and bilateral cooperation.
A series of incidents involving commercial vessels
Erdogan's statement comes after a series of incidents involving civilian and commercial vessels in the Black Sea. On October 5, Zelensky said that Russian drones had hit a Turkish ship carrying corn. The vessel later sank, killing two people, the Associated Press reported. The Ukrainian president claimed responsibility for the attack.
In August, Turkey reported drone attacks on the Turkish ships “Yasar“ and “Nadezhda“ after they left the Russian port of Novorossiysk. Crew members, including Turkish citizens, were injured in the attacks.
Erdogan also said that Turkey is ready to make all possible efforts to create conditions for peace in Ukraine. Ankara is insisting on measures that will guarantee the safety of shipping and prevent the escalation of hostilities in the Black Sea.
Sources: aa.com.tr, apnews.com, eurointegration.com.ua