ISTANBUL / WASHINGTON: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that attacks targeting civilian vessels in the Black Sea were unacceptable, urging Russia and Ukraine to “act responsibly”.

Despite its ties with both Russia and Ukraine, Turkiye has been angered by attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea.

“It is clear that attacks against civilian vessels and actions that further escalate tensions in the Black Sea serve no one’s interests,” Erdogan told a news conference with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.

“We cannot accept these attacks under any circumstances, regardless of who carries them out or what justification is offered. We call on all parties to act responsibly on this matter,” he said.

Says attacks on civilian vessels ‘unacceptable’; Zelensky discusses security, peace efforts with Turkish president

Ankara has sent a proposal to Russia and Ukraine to end strikes on civilian ships, but says the two countries have failed to act on it.

Zelensky accused Russia of making the situation in the Black Sea difficult, saying a significant part of his talks with Erdogan had focused on security concerns in the region.

Erdogan said discussions aimed at restoring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea would continue.

“I believe that reaching an agreement on this issue would also give fresh impetus to efforts to secure lasting peace in Ukraine,” he added.

Erdogan also welcomed renewed momentum behind efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war through “diplomatic means”, referring in particular to US President Donald Trump’s initiative.

“At this point, we maintain that there can be no losers in a just peace,” he said.

Last week, the Kremlin said the next round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US was expected to resume in November in the UAE.

Zelensky said he had discussed the format of the talks with Erdogan, as well as other possibilities, “in particular the possibilities of involving Turkiye, involving Europe, involving all partners”.

Patriot missiles

The Trump administration has approved the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, the US State Department said, but the Ukrainian president warned that deliveries could take years.

The approval, which will be submitted to Congress for review, comes after weeks of complaints by Ukrainian authorities that their supplies of the interceptor missiles were dwindling.

“The proposed sale will improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its integrated air and missile defence capabilities,” the department said in a statement.

The statement did not provide an estimate of when the weapons could be delivered to Ukraine.

However, Zelensky said late on Friday in a post on X that “deliveries may begin only in a few years”.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2026