Turkey Proposes Shipping Safety Measures in Black Sea Amid Ongoing Conflict

Turkey is taking steps to address the dangers in the Black Sea, a critical shipping route affected by the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has submitted a draft memorandum to both nations, proposing specific measures to safeguard civilian vessels from attacks.

The proposal, shared with Moscow and Kyiv by September 17, 2026, focuses on establishing safer shipping corridors along the coasts of Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, and Turkey. It also includes a system for registering and verifying ships and a ban on strikes targeting grain facilities.

This initiative comes in light of recent attacks on at least 25 Turkish-owned ships in the Black Sea since late June 2026, resulting in fatalities and injuries among crew members. Fidan had previously called for a moratorium on attacks against vessels, which Russia dismissed as unviable. The new memorandum builds on the framework of the 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, which had previously facilitated the export of Ukrainian grain.

Turkey's unique position as the controller of the Bosphorus Strait, the sole passage connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, gives it significant leverage in mediating this situation. The Montreux Convention of 1936 grants Turkey authority over transit through the strait, impacting all vessels entering or leaving the Black Sea.

However, the chances of success remain uncertain. Neither Moscow nor Kyiv had formally responded to the memorandum as of mid-September. Russia's previous rejection of Turkey's moratorium proposal raises concerns, while Ukraine may be cautious about any agreement that limits its military operations against Russian assets.

By focusing on civilian shipping rather than a broad ceasefire, Turkey aims to find common ground between the conflicting parties, who have shown little agreement on other issues.