Erdogan tells Zelenskiy Black Sea ship attacks are inexplicable

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that attacks by Russia and Ukraine on commercial vessels in the Black Sea were inexplicable and that steps must be taken to stop them, according to a readout from his office on Thursday. Erdogan stated Turkey was ready to do all it could to end the war with lasting peace and revive direct negotiations, adding that navigational safety in the Black Sea required action and that the sides should act responsibly. Ankara has sent offers to both countries to halt attacks, some of which have targeted Turkish-owned vessels. Turkey, a NATO member with ties to both Moscow and Kyiv, previously mediated the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2022, but Russia withdrew a year later. Ankara has backed Ukraine's territorial integrity while refusing to join Western sanctions on Russia.