By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
The Kremlin says it is aware of a Türkiye-United Nations initiative for new Russia-Ukraine talks on a Black Sea ceasefire, but says there are no concrete details and that any agreement would have to address the wider conflict.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov set out Moscow's position on October 2 after Interfax asked whether there was any concrete progress on plans for talks in early October involving Russia and Ukraine.
"There are no specifics."
Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman
Peskov said Moscow knew of the initiative but accused Kyiv of showing no readiness for comprehensive agreements. He said partial arrangements would not bring a settlement closer.
"We don't need a ceasefire, we need peace."
Dmitry Peskov, referring to remarks by President Vladimir Putin a day earlier
Peskov also made Russia's Black Sea condition explicit. Moscow wants sea deliveries of military equipment, ammunition and fuel for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to stop and says its operations in the area will continue.
Bloomberg reported on October 1 that Türkiye and the UN were preparing new Russia-Ukraine talks focused on a Black Sea ceasefire, commercial navigation and grain shipments. The meetings were expected in early October, according to a senior diplomat cited by the agency, with representatives of the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue involved as mediators.
The proposal follows months of Turkish diplomacy on the same file. On July 16, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Türkiye and the UN had proposed separating energy security and Black Sea navigation from the wider war. If a general ceasefire remained out of reach, he said, the sides could agree not to strike targets in those areas.
On August 31, Fidan said Türkiye had prepared a new proposal and was in contact with both Moscow and Kyiv. Ankara was working toward an arrangement similar to the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative if the conditions could be created.
Moscow had already acknowledged those Turkish efforts. On September 22, Peskov said the proposal to reduce attacks in the Black Sea had been discussed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Putin in Bishkek and was continuing through diplomatic correspondence. Three days later, he said Türkiye had submitted proposals but substantive negotiations were not yet underway. The initiative also formed part of Erdoğan's parallel contacts with Moscow and Kyiv over Black Sea shipping security.
Erdoğan also raised navigation security with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during UN General Assembly week in New York. Türkiye's Presidency said Erdoğan told Zelenskyy that attacks on commercial vessels were unjustifiable and that steps were needed to secure navigation in the Black Sea.
Later on October 2, Peskov said Russia was open to dialogue on Black Sea security with countries including Türkiye, India and Egypt, but that no concrete bilateral negotiations were underway.
Sources: Interfax, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications, Bloomberg, Bosphorus News review and reporting.