Turkiye Summons Ukraine Envoy Over Black Sea Ship Strikes — SkimNews
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- Turkiye summoned Ukraine's ambassador Naryman Dzhelialo to the Foreign Ministry in Ankara on Saturday over two attacks on Turkish-operated vessels in the Black Sea, warning that 'the absolute need to ensure the safety of people, of assets, of navigation and of the environment' must be upheld.
- Lider Bordo Mavi was struck on Wednesday off the coast of Tuapse, Russia, and was towed to the Turkish port of Samsun; Lider Kocatepe was then hit by a drone the next day while en route to assist the damaged ship.
- Nadezhda cargo ship was struck by a drone near the Russian port of Novorossiysk earlier this month, seriously injuring three crew members — part of an escalating pattern of strikes on Turkish commercial vessels thought to have been launched by Ukraine.
- Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for a halt to attacks on Black Sea shipping earlier this month, stating: 'They are attacking all commercial shipping without distinction.'
- Turkiye has maintained its mediator role by declining to apply Western sanctions on Russia while selling US-made defense equipment to Ukraine, and a free trade agreement between Ankara and Kyiv was ratified by the Ukrainian government in July — a balance now directly strained by hits on Turkish-flagged ships.
Why it matters: Turkiye has positioned itself as the sole broker between Moscow and Kyiv, refusing Western sanctions on Russia while arming Ukraine — a balancing act now under direct strain as two of its commercial ships are struck in one week. Ankara's complaint is backed by tangible economic stakes: the Black Sea carries routine Turkish cargo traffic and a newly ratified free trade agreement with Ukraine.
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