ANKARA, June 16 – Turkey’s foreign minister said on Tuesday he told his Russian counterpart about the need to avoid steps in the Black Sea that threatened regional security and Turkey’s interests, adding he also repeated Turkey’s offer to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow.
In recent months, Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of drone attacks on tankers near Turkey’s northern coast, including one on a Turkish-owned vessel. Ankara has protested to both Kyiv and Moscow over the attacks.
Speaking at a press conference alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the priority for Turkey – which hosted previous rounds of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia – was for the sides to resume negotiations and end the war as soon as possible.
“I conveyed our readiness to host the next rounds of talks once again… If the sides agree, we are ready to also discuss how the negotiations can continue in a more result-oriented way,” he said.
“I conveyed to my counterpart our expectation to avoid any incidents that can harm our country’s interests in the Black Sea,” Fidan added, saying he and Lavrov discussed possible ways to ensure navigational safety in the region.
He added that Turkey also opposed any attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Kyiv asked Ankara in April to mediate by hosting a leaders’ level meeting. Turkey, which will host a NATO summit this July, has maintained cordial ties with Moscow and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. REUTERS