Erdogan warns against 'zone of confrontation' in Black Sea after strikes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Saturday against the Black Sea becoming a "zone of confrontation" between Russia and Ukraine, following a strike against a Turkish ship on Friday.

The Black Sea region has seen repeated strikes in recent weeks. On Friday, a Russian air strike damaged a Turkish-owned vessel in a port in Ukraine's Black Sea region of Odessa, provoking criticism from Erdogan.

"The Black Sea should not be considered a zone of confrontation. This would benefit neither Russia nor Ukraine," he told reporters aboard the presidential plane, according to the official Anadolu news agency.

"Everyone needs safe navigation in the Black Sea."

Friday's attack came just hours after Erdogan had raised the issue personally with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the sidelines of a summit in Turkmenistan. 

According to his office, the Turkish president called for a "limited ceasefire" concerning attacks on ports and energy facilities in the Russia-Ukraine war.

"Like all other actors, Mr Putin knows very well where Turkey stands on this issue," he told Anadolu. 

"After this meeting we held with Putin, we hope to have the opportunity to also discuss the peace plan with US President Trump."

"Peace is not far away, we can see it."

Turkey has officially maintained that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be protected, and it has refused to recognise the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia.

However, Turkish officials privately acknowledge that a resolution to the Ukraine war could only be achieved through the loss of some Ukrainian territories, a message they have conveyed since at least 2022.