Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleTurkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged both Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea, Al Jazeera reports. He and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also agreed to work on a new grain corridor through the waterway.
Erdogan spoke on Saturday at a joint news conference with Zelenskyy in Istanbul. He said attacks on civilian vessels were unacceptable, no matter who carries them out.
Ankara’s warning to both sides
“We call on all parties to act responsibly on this matter,” Erdogan said. He added that such attacks serve no one’s interests and that Turkiye cannot accept them under any circumstances or whatever justification is offered.
Turkiye maintains ties with both Moscow and Kyiv and has been angered by the strikes on commercial shipping. Ankara has sent both countries a proposal to end the attacks, but says neither has acted on it.
Grain corridor and US interest
Zelenskyy accused Russia of making the situation in the Black Sea difficult. He 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.
Zelenskyy said Turkiye supports efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea. Erdogan said talks to restore it would continue, and he suggested an agreement could give fresh impetus to efforts toward lasting peace in Ukraine.
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. He said the aim would be to secure grain and energy shipments by both countries.
Speaking in Atlanta, Georgia, after a G20 foreign ministers meeting, Rubio said the US is reviewing proposals from Turkiye and India to get grain shipments moving. He said the situation threatens global food security and, to some extent, energy security. A deal, he said, would not solve the war but would address one aspect of it.
Peace efforts and possible talks in Turkiye
Erdogan welcomed renewed momentum behind diplomatic efforts to end the war, pointing in particular to US President Donald Trump’s initiative. He said there can be no losers in a just peace and that Turkiye stands ready to make every possible effort toward it.
Turkiye has hosted several rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed at a lasting ceasefire and a peace deal. Erdogan said this showed tangible results can be achieved through diplomacy.
According to the Turkish president’s office, Erdogan told Trump in a phone call on Wednesday that Turkiye was ready to support efforts to revive the diplomatic process. 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 discussed that format with Erdogan, along with other options. These included involving Turkiye, Europe and other partners, as well as the possibility of a meeting in Turkiye. He said strong decisions are needed for peace and that signals must be sent to Russia that there is no alternative to it.
Source: Al Jazeera
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
