Turkiye proposes Russia‑Ukraine deal to curb Black Sea attacks, eyes a revived safe‑passage mechanism for civilian ships

Turkiye has proposed a deal between Russia and Ukraine to halt attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea, following a surge in strikes, particularly on Turkish vessels. In August alone, nearly 90 ships were targeted, with at least 22 Turkish-owned ships attacked in the two months leading up to August 27. Four more attacks have occurred since then, resulting in the deaths of three Turkish nationals.

The Turkish diplomat revealed that they had shared a memorandum with Russia and Ukraine to explore a solution. However, Russia's top diplomat dismissed the proposal as "unrealistic" and "impossible to monitor." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriï Sybiga suggested that a Black Sea ceasefire could be part of a broader ceasefire during President Volodymyr Zelensky's talks with US President Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly.

Turkiye has been active in the Black Sea, with 226 civilian and commercial vessels attacked since the war began in February 2022, with 163 attacks occurring in the first eight months of the year. Turkiye maintains relations with both Russia and Ukraine and has avoided Western sanctions. The proposal to revive the grain corridor, which was initially established to protect Ukrainian grain exports, is seen as a potential solution, although experts doubt its feasibility due to the lack of a comparable beneficiary and the reluctance of Russia and Ukraine to agree on a safe corridor.