Türkiye proposes new security deal for Black Sea amid rising attacks on vessels

Türkiye has proposed a limited security arrangement for the Black Sea after recent attacks on Turkish-linked vessels raised concerns over the safety of regional trade and the risk of the war spilling over the region.

“If a comprehensive ceasefire and peace agreement cannot be reached, we are calling for a limited agreement in two areas: refraining from attacks on energy infrastructure and ensuring the safety of commercial navigation in the Black Sea,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday.

Recalling how the Black Sea grain deal brokered by Türkiye and the UN in 2022 to allow the safe export of Ukrainian grain had “protected all ships from being targeted despite the war,” Fidan said a similar pact was needed to safeguard trade.

“There is now a renewed need for a similar arrangement,” he said.

Fidan’s remarks followed alleged Russian strikes on a Turkish vessel transporting sunflower oil in the Black Sea, which endangered the lives of 11 crew members, becoming the second such attack on a Turkish ship in two days.

“Thankfully, no Turkish crew members have been injured so far,” Fidan said, adding that Türkiye was “closely monitoring” the incidents.

Following the attack, Ukraine’s navy said Russia used a drone to hit the Turkish vessel VIVA as it travelled to Egypt.

Zelenskyy described the attack as a “direct challenge by Russia to the whole world”, pledging retaliation.

Erdogan urges stability in Black Sea

Zelenskyy’s remarks followed warnings from Erdogan a day earlier against turning the Black Sea into a zone of confrontation, during face-to-face talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Friday.

“The Black Sea should not be seen as an arena of rivalry. This would not benefit Russia or Ukraine. Everyone needs freedom of navigation and security in the Black Sea,” Erdogan said on Friday.

The Turkish vessel that was struck was operating in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone, using a grain corridor intended to provide safe passage for agricultural exports.

The escalation comes amid intensified maritime strikes linked to the war.

Dangerous waters

Kiev has conducted numerous drone strikes on Russian oil facilities this year in an effort to undermine Moscow's ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

Millions of barrels of oil per day move south from Russian ports through Türkiye’s Istanbul and Canakkale straits into the Mediterranean, and Turkish-linked ships have increasingly been caught up in these attacks.

In early December, Ankara summoned Ukraine's ambassador and Russia's acting charge d'affaires to the foreign ministry to convey its concerns in response.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that such attacks signalled an alarming escalation and could not be justified.

Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied any role in the strikes.

Russia, which launched a full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022, has accused Ukraine of piracy and threatened to retaliate by cutting off Ukraine's maritime access in response to attacks on tankers.