According to industry sources, at least 25 vessels owned by Turkish companies have been damaged since late June. Four of them fly the Turkish flag.
“We sent the Russians and Ukrainians the text of a memorandum — a draft — to find a solution to these attacks taking place in the Black Sea,” the diplomat told AFP.
Turkey is calling on Russia and Ukraine to stop attacks on civilian vessels.
On Aug. 8, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for a “moratorium” on such strikes.
Turkey has repeatedly proposed reviving a “grain corridor” arrangement to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would discuss the issue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in November.
The Turkish diplomat said the latest proposal was “inspired” by the 2022 agreement brokered by Turkey and the United Nations. The deal provided safe passage through the Black Sea for Ukrainian grain exports without the threat of attack.
Russia withdrew from the agreement a year later, after which
Ukraine established an alternative route along the coasts of Romania and
Bulgaria.