Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan said, "We do not want the war to move to the Black Sea. Targeting ports, tankers and fishing boats, and risking the lives of civilians is not an excusable issue."

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha as part of his contacts in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. Making a statement at the joint press conference held after the bilateral meeting, Minister Fidan stated that the risk of the conflict spreading has remained serious and the tension has been escalating since the beginning of the war.

Drawing attention to the situations that caused the security in the region to be shaken, Fidan said, "We do not want the war to move to the Black Sea. Targeting ports, tankers and fishing boats in the Black Sea and risking the lives of civilians is not an excusable issue." Minister Fidan called on all parties to act with common sense and responsibility at this point.

'CONTINUING THE ISTANBUL FORMAT WILL BE VERY USEFUL'

Sharing that they are working on new strategies to get out of the vicious circle of war, Fidan stated that new ideas were discussed in the meetings with the mediators and the parties. Referring to the importance of the Istanbul meetings, Fidan said:

"I believe that it would be very beneficial for the Turkey negotiations, which were carried out last year, especially with the Istanbul talks, which have now become visible, to continue in the same way. When we look at the Istanbul format, the parties came together with officials in various branches and really ensured transparency both within themselves and among themselves. There were direct negotiations and very good talks. Just because the war continues does not mean that the talks will not continue in this format."

Reminding that after the Istanbul talks, US negotiators were involved in the process and carried out result-oriented activities, Fidan shared his opinion: "Unfortunately, as of today, the war is still continuing and there is a risk of escalation."

Türkiye WILL LEAD MARITIME SAFETY GUARANTEES

Underlining that security guarantees are of vital importance for a possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, Minister Fidan stated that these guarantees include land, sea and air elements. Regarding Türkiye's contribution to maritime security, Fidan said, "Turkey has agreed to lead the naval elements, and we are in agreement with our allies on this issue. Planning activities on this issue are also carried out by the naval forces of the relevant allied country."

'WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ATTACKS ON CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE'

Stating that they discussed the ongoing war and peace efforts with his counterpart, Fidan said, "While we see the destruction and effects of the war, we also observe with appreciation the wisdom and solidarity of the Ukrainian people," and pointed out that their greatest wish is for these sufferings to end. Pointing out the stagnation in diplomatic efforts and the intensifying conflicts during the meetings, Minister Fidan expressed their concern about the increasing attacks on civilian infrastructure and shared his belief that a rapid return to the negotiation table was necessary.

EMPHASIS ON NATO AND COALITION OF VOLUNTEERS SUMMITS

Referring to the importance of these contacts taking place right after the NATO Ankara Summit, Fidan said, "Strong messages were given at the NATO Summit regarding the continuation of support for Ukraine as allies. As our President stated at the NATO leaders session, we, as Turkey, will continue to contribute to the list of prioritized needs for Ukraine. I also attended the Volunteer Coalition Leaders Summit held in Paris, representing our President, and here we discussed different aspects of our support with our interlocutors."

Reminding that they conveyed their suggestions for a peaceful solution during his visit to Moscow in June, Fidan informed that Turkish companies continue their activities in Ukraine despite the ongoing war.

FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IS A STRATEGIC STEP

Underlining that Turkish companies will contribute to Ukraine's recovery process in the post-war period, Fidan noted that they welcomed the approval of the Free Trade Agreement signed in 2022 by the Ukrainian Parliament. Fidan said, "I believe that the trade volume between the two countries, which reached 6.6 billion dollars despite the war conditions, will rise much higher after the war with the effect of the agreement," and pointed out the importance of benefiting from Türkiye's infrastructure in the fields of energy and transportation.

DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS CONTINUE FOR CRIMEAN TATARS

Reminding that Crimean Tatars have an exceptional place in the relations between the two countries, Minister Fidan reiterated Türkiye's position by saying, "We have maintained our principled stance on the illegal annexation of Crimea from the very beginning. We know that some Crimean Tatar leaders are in prison. Our negotiations with the Russian side continue to release them." It was reported that the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine's participation in the commercial routes to the Gulf were also evaluated during the meeting.

'WE NEED PEACE MORE THAN EVER'

Answering the questions of members of the press, Fidan reminded President Erdoğan's principle that "War has no winners, peace has no losers" and said:

"There is no explanation why a conventional war in Europe continues in an increasingly destructive manner in the 21st century. The introduction of new types of weapons increases the risk of this spread. Therefore, we need peace more than ever."

'WAR MORATORIUM MAY BE DECLARED FOR THE BLACK SEA AND ENERGY SECURITY'

Pointing out that Türkiye is one of the few countries that maintains contacts with both countries towards peace, Fidan shared that the safety of navigation in the Black Sea is of vital importance. Reminding that the UN has made a proposal to adhere to certain commitments on this issue, Fidan said, "If it is not possible to end the war, a war moratorium may be declared in a few critical areas, including the Black Sea and energy security, and the targets may not be hit. Our alternative proposals on this issue are still on the table."

'WE WANT TO THINK THAT THE PARTIES ARE READY FOR A CEASE-MADE'

Stating that they hope that the destructive stage reached in the war will be a harbinger of a close peace, Fidan said that they observed that both sides do not refrain from coming together through the mediation of both Türkiye and the USA. Fidan concluded his statement by saying, "Both sides urgently need a ceasefire, a peace agreement, not only Russia and Ukraine, but also the international community. We will continue to do our best to make this possible."