Türkiye has announced it is taking all necessary diplomatic and security measures to protect maritime safety in the Black Sea following a surge in Ukrainian attacks on commercial tankers carrying Russian oil to global markets.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed the matter with his counterparts from Romania and Bulgaria, two littoral countries and NATO allies, during a foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Dec. 3.
He also met Ukraine’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, in Brussels on the same day. One of the issues on the agenda was the need to stop attacking commercial vessels for the sake of civilian maritime security after Ukraine’s naval drones attacked two commercial vessels within the exclusive economic zone of Türkiye last week.
“The recent attacks in the Black Sea actually showed how justified Türkiye’s warnings from the very beginning were. Because the geography of the war is expanding. This is extremely alarming,” Fidan told Turkish reporters after the talks.
He said the attack on the two ships sailing in Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone not only endangered navigation safety in the Black Sea but also risked turning the Black Sea into a closed area for trade and human transit.
Fidan noted that although Türkiye had access to warm waters via the Aegean and the Mediterranean, countries like Romania and Bulgaria had only the Black Sea as their maritime outlet.
“This is a much bigger problem for them. But as the country with the longest coastline on the Black Sea, we also have to take on significant responsibility. And we are doing our part,” he said.
Fidan listed the important issues in the Black Sea: navigation safety, pipelines, energy routes, fiber lines, energy exploration activities and fishing.
“But when you are affected by wartime conditions, you cannot benefit from these economic opportunities. On the contrary, you are put at risk,” he said.
He added that they discussed what kinds of measures could be developed, in which institutions they would be coordinated and how a coordination mechanism would be structured, noting that work would continue on several decisions taken.
Defense sources say all measures taken
In the meantime, sources from the Defense Ministry have reiterated that the army has taken all necessary measures in the Black Sea following the escalation.
“In line with our ‘regional ownership’ principle, we are running initiatives and taking measures against threats stemming from the war. However, although we can mitigate all these threats and security chaos in the Black Sea, a stable and secure maritime environment requires permanent peace,” they said.
At the same time, Türkiye is continuing its activities in the framework of the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group (MCM Black Sea), a mission co-founded with Romania and Bulgaria, the sources added.
Türkiye summons Ukrainian, Russian envoys over attacks
Türkiye on Dec. 4 summoned senior Ukrainian and Russian diplomats to the Foreign Ministry after attacks on ships sailing in international waters in the Black Sea.
According to information obtained by Anadolu, Turkish officials conveyed to Ukrainian Ambassador Nariman Celal and Russian charge d’affaires Aleksei Ivanov Ankara’s concern over the attacks during the meetings held at the ministry.
