We do not want the Russia-Ukraine war to spread to the Black Sea.
Modern.az reports that Hakan Fidan said this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv.
Fidan stated that the risk of the conflict spreading, which has been emphasized since the first days of the war, still remains a serious threat. According to him, an increase in tension in various forms is observed:
"It is important to maintain stability in the Black Sea. Targeting ports, tankers, and fishing boats, and putting the lives of civilians at risk is not something that can be justified. We invite all parties to act with restraint and responsibility in this matter."
Fidan also announced that they are working on new strategic approaches to get out of the deadlock in the Russia-Ukraine war:
"There are new ideas, and these proposals are discussed during meetings with parties and mediators. It is important to continue the Istanbul talks mediated by Turkey. I believe that it will be very beneficial for the Turkish talks, especially the Istanbul meetings that became visible last year, to continue in the same way. The gathering of authorized persons in various fields in the Istanbul format allowed for transparency both within the parties and between them. It is important for similar meetings to continue uninterrupted. The continuation of the war does not mean that talks in this format will not continue."
Hakan Fidan stated that one of the main elements of a possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine:
"These guarantees can cover land, sea, and air components. Turkey has agreed to lead the sea component. We are also in agreement with our allies on this issue. Planning work in this regard is also being carried out by the naval forces of the relevant allied countries."
