Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on the 13th that the Black Sea should not become a “confrontation zone” between Russia and Ukraine. Doing so would be of no benefit to Russia or Ukraine. The Black Sea requires a safe navigation environment. On the afternoon of the 12th, a Turkish Ro-Ro ship was attacked by a missile of unknown origin in the Ukrainian port of Odessa. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs later issued a statement confirming the attack on the Ro-Ro ship, stressing the importance of an immediate cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, reaffirming the need to reach an agreement to prevent the Black Sea situation from escalating, and calling on all parties to the conflict to reach an agreement on “safeguarding the safety of shipping in the Black Sea and suspending attacks on energy and port infrastructure.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on the 13th that the Black Sea should not become a “confrontation zone” between Russia and Ukraine. Doing so would be of no benefit to Russia or Ukraine. The Black Sea requires a safe navigation environment. On the afternoon of the 12th, a Turkish Ro-Ro ship was attacked by a missile of unknown origin in the Ukrainian port of Odessa. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs later issued a statement confirming the attack on the Ro-Ro ship, stressing the importance of an immediate cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, reaffirming the need to reach an agreement to prevent the Black Sea situation from escalating, and calling on all parties to the conflict to reach an agreement on “safeguarding the safety of shipping in the Black Sea and suspending attacks on energy and port infrastructure.”