Erdogan Tells Zelenskiy Black Sea Attacks Are Inexplicable

The diplomatic push comes as maritime routes grow increasingly volatile. During talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the rising danger to commercial vessels, calling the strikes completely unacceptable according to a readout from his office. The NATO member nation has maintained complex diplomatic and commercial ties with both sides of the conflict since 2022. NATO member Turkey, which has maintained cordial ties with both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has repeatedly urged the warring sides to stop attacks in the Black Sea.

Trilateral Peace Talks and Trade Ambitions in New York

The Ukrainian leader told reporters as he departed the venue that his administration remains very open to Türkiye hosting a trilateral leaders’ summit. Erdogan signaled readiness to organize the gathering, prompting a swift endorsement from Kyiv.

I said that if the president could organize (it), we will support the idea to be in Türkiye.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President, via Anadolu Ajansı

We will be ready to come for such summit, he added. Beyond immediate security arrangements, the two leaders addressed bilateral economic metrics. Zelenskiy noted that both nations are actively working to increase bilateral trade from $1 billion to $10 billion under their existing free trade framework. Discussions also touched upon maritime security, food security corridors, and a potential drone manufacturing deal.

Odesa Black Sea Shipping Stalls Following Russian Missile Strikes

Navigational Safety and the Black Sea Grain Crisis

The safety of maritime traffic remains a central friction point. Ankara reports that various commercial ships, including Turkish-owned vessels, have taken direct hits in recent months, resulting in fatalities among Turkish citizens. Turkey’s Chamber of Maritime Commerce notes that 226 civilian and commercial vessels have encountered attacks in the Black Sea since the war began, with over 70 percent of those incidents occurring this year.

Industry sources confirm that at least 27 Turkish-owned ships have been struck since the beginning of June, killing four Turkish nationals. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently criticized both warring governments for attacking all commercial shipping without distinguishing among them. Ankara recently dispatched a fresh proposal to Moscow and Kyiv aimed at establishing a moratorium on maritime strikes, though officials describe the initial responses as difficult to reconcile.

Global Food Security Strains and Diplomatic Options

The disruption of Black Sea grain routes continues to ripple across international markets. Major wheat importers across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa face severe supply bottlenecks, driving global grain prices upward. While Türkiye and the United Nations previously brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2022, that agreement collapsed the following year after Moscow cited obstacles regarding its own agricultural exports.

Zelenskiy told leaders at a Crimean Platform summit on the sidelines of the General Assembly that Kyiv stands ready for a maritime truce based on proposals put forward by India, Egypt, and Türkiye. However, restoring the corridor depends heavily on halting infrastructure strikes.

What is needed is simply Russia’s readiness to stop its terrorist strikes on our infrastructure so that Ukraine can reciprocally halt its long-range responses.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President, via Anadolu Ajansı