Turkey summons Ukraine ambassador over Black Sea attacks

Turkey has summoned Ukraine's ambassador to protest recent attacks in the Black Sea that targeted Turkish vessels. The foreign ministry announced Saturday that the ambassador was called in after a Turkish container ship, the "Lider Bordo Mavi," was attacked near the Russian coast on Wednesday. The following day, a second ship, the "Lider Kocatepe," sent to tow the damaged vessel, also became a target.

The ministry did not disclose whether there were any casualties in the attacks. Turkish media reported that the container ship was towed to the Turkish port of Samsun. This incident occurs amidst ongoing efforts by Ankara to de-escalate tensions and prevent further harm to civilian shipping in the vital waterway.

For weeks, Turkey has been urging both Ukraine and Russia to halt attacks on civilian ships. Both warring nations have sought to disrupt each other's export revenues since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Black Sea is a crucial route for commercial shipping, with numerous Turkish vessels operating under various flags. Several of these ships have been targeted by drones, with Ukraine suspected of launching some of them.

As a NATO member with established communication lines with both Kyiv and Moscow, Turkey has not joined Western sanctions against Russia. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had previously called for a moratorium on Black Sea attacks on August 8, stating that the conflict had spread throughout the sea and that all commercial vessels were being targeted without exception.

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