Türkiye to host meeting on Black Sea security

Türkiye on Tuesday and Wednesday will host a meeting to discuss the issue of Black Sea security after a possible ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, the Defense Ministry said.

The meeting at Naval Forces Headquarters in the capital Ankara, attended by foreign countries military representatives, will discuss naval military planning to maintain a peaceful environment in the Black Sea, the ministry said in a Sunday statement.

Without specifying which countries would attend, the ministry said there will be no Russian officials among foreign military representatives.

Türkiye is continuing its efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022.

Ankara has urged Kyiv and Moscow to end the fighting through negotiations, with Türkiye ready for any initiative, including mediation, to lay the groundwork for peace.

Türkiye first hosted a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers in the Mediterranean city of Antalya in March 2022.

Those efforts led to the landmark Black Sea grain deal in 2022, but Moscow did not extend the agreement after July 2023, citing restrictions on Russian grain exports.