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Ukraine's ambassador to Ankara, Nariman Dzhelyalov, said the Black Sea has become "a dangerous region" due to the ongoing war, mines, and threats to civilian maritime transport, speaking at a reception marking the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.
"Today, the Black Sea has become a dangerous region due to the war, mines and threats to civilian maritime transportation," Dzhelyalov said.
"There is only one reason for this: Russia's aggression against Ukraine. But Ukraine and Türkiye have a shared interest, for the Black Sea to once again become a region where peace, security, trade and prosperity prevail," he added.
The reception, hosted by Dzhelyalov at Ukraine's embassy in Ankara, was attended by Turkish Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Isikhan, Deputy Foreign Ministers Ambassador Musa Kulaklikaya and Ambassador Ayse Berris Ekinci, diplomatic mission representatives and numerous guests.
Dzhelyalov noted that ties between Ukraine and Türkiye predate their 35-year diplomatic relationship by far, saying Ukraine fought for its right to become an independent state in 1918 and that the Ottoman Empire was among the first countries to recognize the young Ukrainian state.
He said Türkiye has once again been among the first countries to recognize Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity following Russia's invasion.
"Türkiye has twice within a century stood by Ukraine at decisive moments in its state history. Today, this friendship continues to live not only in history but also in our daily relations," Dzhelyalov said.
Dzhelyalov said the relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has remained resilient against all tests and is built on trust, adding that the recently ratified Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries has turned that trust into concrete achievements.
Dzhelyalov said Ukraine wants to be free and independent, and is ready for a just, lasting peace in which "aggression is not rewarded."
He said Ukraine is ready to support genuine peace initiatives from its partners, saying, "Ukraine is ready for the conflict to end, on the condition that peace, sovereignty and territorial integrity are guaranteed through effective safeguards."
He thanked Türkiye, the Turkish people and all Turkish citizens who have supported Ukraine for their understanding and solidarity.
Dzhelyalov's remarks came against the backdrop of Türkiye's own escalating concern over the war's spillover into the Black Sea.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has recently called the spread of the war into the Black Sea "not an acceptable situation," warning that it threatens the lives of Turkish citizens and the operations of Turkish companies and that attacks on civilian ships have "seriously harmed the safety of life, property, navigation and the environment in the region."
Russia's ambassador to Ankara, Sergey Vershinin, has also said Moscow is in contact with Turkish officials on measures to protect Black Sea shipping, insisting that "reliable verification and monitoring mechanisms" are needed to confirm civilian vessels are not being used for military purposes, while blaming Kyiv for "opening Pandora's box" with attacks on Russian infrastructure.
Ukraine's ambassador has previously pushed back on attempts to blame Kyiv for attacks on Turkish-owned vessels without technical proof.
In a September interview with Türkiye Today, Dzhelyalov said "civilian commercial shipping is not a target for Ukraine," stressing that Kyiv draws a clear distinction between ordinary commercial traffic and vessels tied to Russia's "shadow fleet" used to evade sanctions and fund the war.
Addressing specific strikes on the Turkish-owned vessels Yasar and Nadezhda, and the Turkish-flagged Lider Bordo Mavi and Lider Kocatepe, Dzhelyalov said establishing responsibility "requires evidence," adding, "I do not believe it is appropriate to attribute responsibility to Ukraine without such evidence. Professional technical cooperation between Ukraine and Türkiye is far more useful in this regard than political speculation or premature accusations."
The Ukrainian envoy also said Ukraine has "the strongest interest" in freedom and security of navigation in the Black Sea and issues public Navtex warnings identifying areas of heightened risk, urging all vessels, regardless of flag or crew nationality, to observe them.
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