Ukraine Asks Türkiye for Support to Stop Russian Attack on Black Sea Port

The seed-carrying ship from Ukraine via the Black Sea arrived in Turkey. (Source: Ukrainian Foreign Ministry)

JAKARTA - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday that he and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had discussed safe navigation for shipping in the Black Sea.

"I conveyed Ukraine's interest in further developing cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey, especially in the field of defense," Sybiha wrote on social media X, as reported by Reuters on October 22.

"I also underlined the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. We also discussed ways to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace," he added.

Sybiha had previously asked for support to halt Russia's increasingly intense attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea port infrastructure, in comments made during a visit to Turkey on Monday.

He said such attacks in recent weeks had damaged four civilian ships.

Turkey, which has offered to act as a broker to end the more than 2 1/2 years of war sparked by the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, has sought to maintain good relations with Moscow and Kyiv.

"We see the benefit in re-discussing initiatives that can bring peace, such as the Black Sea wheat initiative," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, referring to a Turkish-brokered deal to allow Black Sea exports from Ukrainian ports.

"I also discussed this with my partners, we admire Ukraine's positive attitude in this regard," he continued.

The Black Sea Wheat Initiative remained in effect for about a year until Russia withdrew from the deal in July 2023, saying the terms of the agreement were not being met.