Ankara Coordinates with Moscow and Kyiv to Halt Shipping Attacks in Black Sea

Ankara is moving towards establishing a joint diplomatic mechanism with Russia and Ukraine, aiming to ensure the security of commercial ships in the Black Sea, amidst an escalating frequency of drone attacks threatening international maritime traffic in the region.

Secret Talks and Protection Mechanisms

A senior Turkish official confirmed that the capital is hosting intensive talks behind closed doors with their counterparts in Moscow and Kyiv, with the goal of establishing clear foundations and standards to prevent attacks on maritime lives and property. The Turkish side aims from this move to find common ground that ensures the safety of shipping lanes, without delving into long-term technical details that could hinder progress in the current phase.

These efforts come as a direct response to the increasing frequency of attacks launched by Ukrainian drones against civilian infrastructure and commercial ships, where previous attacks targeted the Turkish ship "Rehan Sari" resulting in casualties and injuries, as well as the recent similar attack on the ship "Goluk" off the coast of the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

Commitment to the Montreux Convention

In the same context, the Turkish source emphasized that Ankara completely rejects any attempts to circumvent the provisions of the Montreux Convention, clarifying that Turkey refuses the passage of warships through its straits under any circumstances, and closely monitors any potential violations of these strict international obligations regulating ship passage.

Turkish diplomatic relations with both sides feature precise details through direct communication channels, where Ankara seeks to maintain a balanced position that protects its national interests and preserves regional stability, at a time when it faces pressure from NATO member states to allow the free passage of warships, which Ankara rejects entirely.