Turkish FM discusses Black Sea security with EU colleagues

LUXEMBOURG

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has emphasized the importance of maintaining stability and security in the Black Sea amid Russia's occupation of Ukraine at a key meeting with his colleagues from the European Union.

Fidan attended the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Oct. 20 in Luxembourg during which interregional security and defense issues were raised with the participation of several regional countries, including Azerbaijan, Armenia and Ukraine.

He joined the special meeting devoted to “Security, Stability and Resilience in the Black Sea Region” and explained Türkiye’s views.

Marta Kos, the EU commissioner for enlargement, has described the meeting as the first step of the bloc's engagement with the region, saying, “Türkiye is in the center of our works. Its geography is a natural center linking Europe to Asia and the Middle East.”

She said the EU will closely work with Türkiye for maintaining the security of the region.

Türkiye, as the littoral country having the longest shorelines, is playing a significant role in protecting the security and stability of the Black Sea. It believes that the 1937-dated Montreux Convention is the main constituent of regional peace.

Türkiye has been initiating in the establishment of key regional mechanisms, such as the BLACKSEAFOR and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, with the participation of the littoral countries under its understanding of regional ownership.

Türkiye brokered the grain deal between Russia and Ukraine in the first year of the war and created anti-mine mission with Romania and Bulgaria for the maritime security of the Black Sea.

Ankara reiterates the importance of the Black Sea for the realization of important connectivity projects to link Europe to Asia.

Fidan meets top EU diplomat

Turkish top diplomat held bilateral meetings with some of the participants on the sidelines of the meetings.

He held his first meeting with EU’s security and foreign policy representative Kaja Kallas late on Oct. 19. He later met Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Shiba. The two men discussed the current state of the war between Russia and Ukraine amid Washington’s efforts to bring about an end to the conflict.

On Oct. 20, Fidan met Romania’s Foreign Minister Oana Toiu to discuss bilateral ties and regional matters.