Turkiye summons Ukraine ambassador over Black Sea attacks

Ukraine's ambassador to Turkiye has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara after two attacks on Turkish-operated vessels in the Black Sea.

Key points

• Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan pressed a halt to attacks in the Black Sea, saying, "They are attacking all commercial shipping without distinction."
• When it was off the coast of Tuapse, Russia, the session comes after the Turkish-operated container ship Lider Bordo Mavi was struck in the Black Sea on Wednesday.
• The Lider Kocatepe was additionally targeted by a drone when on its way to assist the Lider Bordo Mavi the next day.
• Turkish authorities communicated their worries to Ambassador Naryman Dzhelialo at the ministry on Saturday, the AFP news agency documented.
• Turkiye has been calling for a halt to attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea as Ukraine and Russia continue to target each other's export revenues.

"During the meeting, Turkiye warned about the absolute need to ensure the safety of people, of assets, of navigation and of the environment in the Black Sea, " the ministry remarked in an official note.

Notably, the Lider Kocatepe was additionally targeted by a drone when on its way to assist the Lider Bordo Mavi the next day. Turkish media documented that the Lider Bordo Mavi was towed to the Turkish port of Samsun.

Turkiye has been calling for a halt to attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea as Ukraine and Russia continue to target each other's export revenues. Navigating the sea has carried heightened risk ever since Russia introduced its war on Ukraine in February 2022, but attacks there have escalated.

Notably, a number of commercial Turkish ships have been hit by drones thought to have been rolled out by Ukraine. Three crew members were seriously injured when the Nadezhda cargo ship was hit by a drone near the Russian port of Novorossiysk earlier this month.

Turkiye maintains relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, and has positioned itself as a mediator between the two sides. It has not applied Western sanctions on Russia, and has sold US-made defence equipment to Ukraine. A free trade agreement between Turkiye and Ukraine was ratified by the Ukrainian administration in July.

As its commercial vessels regularly transit the waterway, nevertheless, the problem of safety in the Black Sea is crucial for Turkiye.

For now, turkiye summons Ukraine ambassador over Black Sea attacks remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.