In brief
At a joint press conference in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanded that Russia and Ukraine stop attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea. In the same meeting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to work with Turkey on a grain corridor to keep cargo moving. Ankara, which keeps ties with both sides, says the talks could help restore trade and potentially ease tension.
On Saturday, 31 October 2026, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul, demanding that Russia and Ukraine cease attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea.
Erdogan said the attacks were "unacceptable" and that "it is clear that attacks against civilian vessels and actions that further escalated tensions in the Black Sea serve no one’s interests." He added that "we call on all parties to act responsibly on this matter" and that Turkey would keep working to restore safe navigation.
In response, Zelenskyy said he had reached an agreement with Erdogan to work on a new Black Sea grain corridor that would open a safe path for cargo and help restore normal maritime trade. He thanked Erdogan for the dialogue and said the discussions would give a fresh impetus to lasting peace in Ukraine.
Turkey has long maintained ties to both Moscow and Kyiv but has been angered by strikes on commercial shipping. Ankara has repeatedly sent proposals to end the attacks, but neither side has acted on them so far.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the international community is exploring a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea to secure grain and energy shipments. Turkey’s mediation role has drawn attention from Washington and other countries looking for a way to reduce conflict impacts on global food security.
Both leaders said the talks would continue in the coming days, signaling that a broader agreement on safe navigation could pave the way for broader easing of tension in the region.
