Turkey says it has sent Ukraine and Russia an offer to end Black Sea fighting
Ankara is waiting on both sides to respond, days after Russia struck ships near Ukraine's ports despite an earlier version of the same plan already sitting with Moscow and Kyiv
Published
Turkey's foreign minister says Ankara has sent Ukraine and Russia an offer to stop fighting in the Black Sea and is waiting for both sides to reply.
A Turkish plan to halt strikes on Black Sea shipping was already pending in Moscow and Kyiv as of Friday. Russia went on to strike four ships near Ukrainian ports that same day. The Russian Defence Ministry said separately that its forces had hit a dry cargo ship in Odesa.
The offer lands alongside a sanctions bill President Trump was expected to sign on Friday, giving him discretion to impose tariffs of up to 100% on buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. On Saturday, Poland launched preemptive operations to guard its airspace as Russian strikes on targets near Ukraine's ports continued.
Turkey's mediation bid slightly improves the near-term diplomatic outlook after months of escalating Black Sea attacks and a wider intensification of the conflict, but the odds remain long given Russia's recent posture and a sanctions signature the Kremlin already treats as an obstacle to talks. A genuine breakthrough would ease oil price volatility and shipping risk, though markets have little reason to price in success until there is movement they can point to.