Türkiye summons Ukrainian, Russian envoys over attacks on ships in Black Sea

By Tugba Altun and Seda Sevencan

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) – Türkiye on Thursday 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.

Earlier on Saturday, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said in a post on US social media company X that the attacks on the Kairos and Virat vessels happened inside Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone and “have posed serious risks to navigation, life, property and environmental safety in the region.”

Ankara is carrying out talks with the relevant parties to prevent the spread of the war in Ukraine across the Black Sea and to protect Türkiye’s economic interests, Keceli added.