Turkey urges Russia, Ukraine to halt Black Sea strikes

ISTANBUL - Turkey’s foreign minister on Aug 8 called for a “moratorium” on attacks by Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea after a series of attacks on civilian ships there.

Hakan Fidan called for “the setting up of a mechanism allowing a moratorium to be declared” in an interview with Turkey’s state news agency Anadolu.

“The conflict has spread across the whole Black Sea,” he said.

“To begin with, they targeted the ports and the military ships. Now, they are attacking all commercial shipping without distinction,” he added.

Ships belonging to Turkey or flying the Turkish flag were among those targeted, he said.

Turkey had already on Aug 4 denounced Black Sea drone attacks on two Turkish civilian vessels the previous day, in which some crew members were injured. AFP