Ankara Signals Zero Tolerance as Erdoğan Cautions Both Sides Over Black Sea Escalation

Recalling Türkiye’s diplomatic track record since the start of the Ukraine war, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan pointed to Ankara’s role in delivering tangible humanitarian outcomes — from the Black Sea Grain Initiative to prisoner exchanges facilitated through the Istanbul process. He emphasized that Türkiye’s strict application of the Montreux Convention helped prevent the conflict from spreading into the Black Sea.

Turning to recent developments, Erdoğan warned that the latest exchange of attacks now seriously threatens navigation safety in the Black Sea. Targeting commercial and civilian vessels, he said, serves no one’s interests. Türkiye, Erdoğan stressed, has delivered its warnings clearly and directly to both sides.