Turkey calls for pause to Russian and Ukrainian attacks on Black Sea shipping
Turkey’s foreign minister urged a temporary halt to Russian and Ukrainian strikes on commercial vessels in the Black Sea after recent attacks on civilian ships.
In an interview with the state news agency Anadolu, Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan asked for a mechanism to declare a moratorium on Black Sea hostilities. He said the conflict has expanded from targeting ports and military vessels to indiscriminately hitting commercial traffic. Turkish-flagged ships have been among those hit, and earlier this week drone attacks injured crew on two Turkish civilian boats.
Why it matters
The appeal seeks to protect civilian shipping and prevent further escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on a key international waterway.
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Black Seamaritime attacksmoratoriumcivilian vesselsTurkeyRussiaUkraineHakan Fidan