Ukraine ‘in talks’ with Türkiye, others to restore Black Sea trade

KIEV

Prititunna, via Wikimedia Commons.

Ukraine is in talks with Türkiye, Egypt and India on the possibility of opening up Black Sea civil navigation, particularly for agriculture exports, President Volodymyr Zelensky has told Bloomberg.

Zelensky that Türkiye, Egypt and India proposed safe navigation for vessels under their flags, entering both Ukrainian and Russian ports and transporting the food.
“One ship heading to our port, and the other to Russian and we accept agreements not to strike either of these vessels,” Zelensky said.

Yet Russia opposes the plan despite regular calls from Turkish, Indian and Egyptian intermediaries, according to the Ukrainian leader.

Meanwhile, Zelensky said on Oct. 19 Ukraine did not receive an early warning from allies about incoming Russian ballistic strikes that targeted energy facilities in the Kiev region.

Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles at the Kiev region and over 200 drones across the war-torn country, Zelensky said.

“Another Russian ballistic missile attack came in several waves overnight, and once again, there was no early warning from our partners,” Zelensky said on social media.

Last week Kiev said there had been no warning from the United States of similar strikes, leaving virtually no time for residents to take shelter.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied earlier on Oct. 19 that there had been any suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

“There has been no pause,” Rubio told reporters in Uzbekistan when asked about Ukraine’s claims, calling on Zelensky to “focus” on ending the war with Russia.

Trump, who says he has made a deal with Russia to secure fuel exports in exchange for the easing of sanctions, has made renewed attacks on Zelensky in recent days over the war.

The U.S. leader wrote on his Truth Social platform on Oct. 18 that he was making “great progress” in negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine, but claimed: “Zelensky doesn’t care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him... he doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.”

But Zelensky in a post on Oct. 19 hit back at the claims, saying that “Ukraine never wanted this war, and we have welcomed literally EVERY attempt by our partners to bring this war to a dignified end.”

“Russia’s response, time and again, has been ballistic missiles, ‘shaheds’ and killings,” Zelensky said.