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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated Thursday that Ankara has delivered a proposal to both Russia and Ukraine aimed at keeping the Black Sea out of the war, as drone attacks on merchant ships spread to Romanian waters and NATO allies weighed their response.
Fidan said Türkiye's position is that the war should stop, and since that has not been possible, Ankara is working to at least keep the Black Sea out of the conflict.
He said he discussed the issue with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and listened to Moscow’s views.
Attacks on at least four ships off Bulgaria and Romania this week threaten grain exports to Africa and other regions at a time when the Strait of Hormuz is closed and the Bab el-Mandeb faces disruptions.
The top Turkish diplomat said Türkiye conveyed its proposal to both Kyiv and Moscow, heard their positions on it and is working on how the problem can be solved more constructively.
He said navigation safety in the Black Sea is critically important and that the situation directly affects world food markets, putting wheat trade to African countries at risk and pushing up food and energy prices.
With Hormuz closed and periodic restrictions in the Bab el-Mandeb, the Black Sea disruption is making things even harder for the global economy, particularly developing countries, Fidan said.
Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to NATO Basat Ozturk recently stated that Ankara is working with both sides on a temporary, partial ceasefire to stop attacks on ships carrying civilian goods.
"Ships are being targeted by both sides, and this is wrong. We are working with both sides to reach a temporary, partial ceasefire to ensure commercial ships carrying civilian goods are not targeted," Ozturk told a panel at the Türkiye-EU Business Summit in Brussels.
"Remember the Black Sea Grain Initiative brokered by Türkiye. It worked well and prevented a food crisis in the world. We can do it again," he added.
"We are keeping the region as stable as possible by implementing the Montreux Convention in the Black Sea. Remember that we closed the straits three days after Feb. 24. It was called a ‘special military operation,’ but we defined it as a state of war and closed the straits to the warring parties’ ships. This prevented the Black Sea from turning into a real battlefield," he stated.
"Meanwhile, we monitor the Black Sea day and night, every minute, every hour. Seventy percent of the recognized maritime and air picture of the Black Sea is provided to allies by Türkiye," Ozturk said.
"We have the longest coastline and the largest naval capacity; we are monitoring the situation. We work closely in this regard with our Black Sea allies Romania and Bulgaria," he noted.
Eight of the 12 crew aboard the San Marino-flagged tanker Wine Trader were missing after it caught fire following reported explosions about 13 nautical miles east of the Danube mouth near Sulina around 7:00 a.m. Thursday, Romanian authorities said.
The tanker was sailing from Tunisia to Romania.
Two Black Hawk helicopters and two rescue boats joined the search amid very high waves.
Hours earlier, the Comoros-flagged tanker Yara J caught fire off Sulina, with its crew safe.
Romanian President Nicusor Dan said Romania would respond once data is gathered. "Only a few hours have passed since the incident. We want the necessary data to be collected. Afterwards, of course, Romania will also have a reaction," he said in Brussels, adding Romania and Bulgaria are working to set up a civil security center and will seek EU support.
The presidents of Romania and Bulgaria were due to discuss whether to invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he held a "good" meeting with Dan and Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev and that NATO is strengthening its eastern flank posture, including counter-drone capabilities.
"NATO will continue to work closely with its Black Sea Allies and adapt its deterrence and defence posture as needed," he wrote on X.
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