Ankara Summons Ukrainian Ambassador Over Attack on Two Turkish Ships

Turkey has summoned the Ukrainian ambassador following two attacks that took place this week in the Black Sea, targeting a Turkish vessel and a second ship that came to its aid, according to an announcement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.

The ministry told Agence France-Presse that the attacks occurred on Wednesday and Thursday.

A statement from the ministry said, “During the meeting, Turkey emphasized the absolute necessity of ensuring the safety of persons, property, navigation, and the environment in the Black Sea.”

The statement clarified that the Turkish container ship “Lider Bordo Mavi” was targeted on Wednesday while it was located off the Russian coast in the Black Sea.

The following day, the ship “Lider Kocabas,” which had been dispatched to assist the container vessel, was also attacked, according to the ministry.

The ministry did not specify whether the attacks resulted in casualties.

According to local Turkish media, the container ship was towed to the Turkish port of Samsun.

For weeks, Ankara has been calling on Ukraine and Russia to halt their attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea.

The two warring countries are seeking to damage each other’s export revenue sources in the war that erupted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Turkish commercial vessels are active in the Black Sea, sailing under various flags, and several have been targeted by drone attacks suspected to have been launched by Ukraine.

Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that maintains relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, has not joined Western sanctions imposed on Russia.

On August 8, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for a “temporary halt” to attacks in the Black Sea, stating at the time that “the conflict has spread to encompass the entire Black Sea,” and adding that “attacks are targeting all commercial ships indiscriminately.”