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Turkey proposes Russia-Ukraine deal to halt strikes on civilian ships in Black Sea
Turkish diplomat said Ankara has shared a text of a memorandum, a draft text, with the Russians and the Ukrainians to come up with a solution
As attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea have increased sharply in recent months, often involving drones, Turkey has sent a proposal to Russia and Ukraine that would end strikes on civilian ships in the strategic waterway.
According to industry figures, as many as 25 Turkish-owned vessels - four of them flying a Turkish flag - have been hit since late June.
"We have shared a text of a memorandum, a draft text, with the Russians and the Ukrainians to come up with a solution to those strikes taking place in the Black Sea," AFP quoted a Turkish diplomat as saying on Thursday.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan demanded a "moratorium" on August 8, urging Russia and Ukraine to suspend attacks on civilian vessels, but the appeal appeared to have gone unheeded.
The attacks have intensified as the foes seek to damage the other's export revenues with the war now raging into a fifth year.
Nato-member Turkey maintains relations with Kyiv and Moscow and has declined to join Western sanctions against Russia.
Its ships are very active in the Black Sea, sailing under various countries' flags, with several hit by drones believed to be launched by Ukraine.
Turkey's move comes after an attack on the Lider Bordo Mavi, a container ship off the Russian coast, and a subsequent attack on the Lider Kocatepe which was sent to tow it away. Both are Turkish-owned vessels.
Following these incidents, the foreign ministry had summoned Ukraine's envoy in August.
Anchored in the northeastern port of Trabzon, the Lider Bordo Mavi appeared to have sustained damage to its bridge deck and the two decks below, showing signs of major fire damage, AFP reported.
Turkey has repeatedly raised the idea of reviving the grain corridor format to safeguard Black Sea shipping with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying he would discuss the matter with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in November.
The Turkish diplomat said the proposal was "inspired by" a 2022 deal brokered by Turkey and the UN to grant safe passage for Ukrainian grain to be exported via the Black Sea without risk of attack.
Although Russia pulled out of the so-called grain corridor mechanism a year later, Ukraine set up an alternative path shipping route that hugs the coast of Romania and Bulgaria.
"In that mechanism, there is maybe a four- or five-mile gap where the Ukrainian ship has to leave the national territorial waters and travel in international waters, which is the risky part," the diplomat explained.
"So our offer is also inspired by this."
As well as using a route flanking Romania and Bulgaria, the official also suggested another route along the eastern and southern shores of the Black Sea along the coastlines of Georgia and Turkey.
"We want to use the territorial waters of the adjacent states, including Turkey - and Georgia, if they are willing to take part," the diplomat said.