“Turkey is ready to organize ceasefire negotiations in the Black Sea, because Ankara believes they will be successful, having established itself as a neutral platform for Russia and Ukraine.”
Sea-news.az reports that Turkish political analyst Hasan Selim Özertem stated this in an interview with Lenta.ru.
The expert noted that the situation in the Black Sea is becoming increasingly concerning for Turkey. “Recent events indicate the risk of further escalation in the Black Sea and the transformation of the Ukraine conflict into a regional crisis,” he emphasized.
Özertem added that potential risks for Turkey include attacks on civilian vessels in the country’s exclusive economic zone and damage to vital energy infrastructure: “Combined with the Gulf War, the current situation in the Ukraine conflict has become another risk factor impacting energy markets.”
The analyst also noted that Turkey, holding a unique position as a NATO member state, maintains dialogue and economic channels with both Russia and Ukraine: “Thanks to this position, Turkey has played a key role since the very beginning of the conflict, including the 2022 Istanbul Agreements, the opening of the grain corridor, and prisoner exchanges.”
On the other hand, Turkey considers Russia and Ukraine as key partners in the region, and the reduction of tension is vital for Ankara’s security. Therefore, Ankara is bringing its calls for negotiations back to the agenda, including in the Black Sea.
He believes that Ankara’s main goal currently is to resume negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.
It should be noted that in recent months, Ukraine and Russia have attacked cargo ships in the Black Sea. As a result, not only have the vessels been damaged, but a significant number of crew members have also died or been injured.
