Physical Address
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Türkiye views the spread of the Russia–Ukraine conflict into civilian maritime activity in the Black Sea as a source of growing concern, the chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee said Thursday, as lawmakers convened in Ankara to discuss the country’s foreign policy priorities and a series of international agreements.
The committee, led by Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Ankara Deputy Fuat Oktay, met at the Parliament’s Beştepe Nation’s Congress and Culture Center, where Oktay said the recent escalation of attacks affecting commercial navigation in the Black Sea – including incidents within Türkiye’s exclusive economic zone – has raised “a serious alarm.”
“While the process to achieve peace continues, the spillover of the war into civilian transportation in the Black Sea is a cause for concern,” Oktay said. “Attacks occurring in our exclusive economic zone are unacceptable. Such incidents are extremely dangerous for maritime traffic and for the safety of life and property for all littoral states. Necessary contacts are being conducted with the parties.”
Türkiye’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs announced on Tuesday that a tanker sailing from Russia to Georgia was attacked some 80 miles (128.75 kilometers) from the Turkish coast. It is the latest instance of spillover of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to the Black Sea, where Türkiye shares about a 1,700-kilometer border.
The incident is a dramatic escalation of maritime attacks in the Russia-Ukraine conflict that was largely confined to the northern coasts of the Black Sea. Prior to the attack, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday underlined the serious risk to maritime security as he commented on two other attacks.
Previously, two oil tankers were also attacked off Türkiye’s Black Sea coast. Ukraine has acknowledged that it carried out the earlier attacks, reportedly on Russian tankers, part of what is dubbed a “shadow fleet” utilized by Russia to evade Western sanctions on trade.
Türkiye summoned the envoys of both countries over the incidents, Deputy Foreign Minister Ayşe Berris Ekinci said Thursday.
Oktay stressed that maintaining the Black Sea as a zone of stability is essential for all regional nations and noted that Türkiye continues to pursue diplomatic efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiation table. He highlighted the Istanbul talks as a platform capable of delivering results and said Türkiye’s parliamentary diplomacy remains engaged in supporting initiatives aimed at securing a sustainable ceasefire and eventual peace.
Addressing the situation in Gaza, Oktay said the cease-fire has been violated by Israel and that humanitarian aid remains insufficient. He criticized Israeli violations in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, saying they constitute serious human rights violations and that Türkiye is using parliamentary diplomacy to increase international pressure on Israel and to support efforts for a two-state solution.
On Syria, Oktay reiterated Türkiye’s support for the country’s territorial integrity and stated that the integration of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria’s political framework remains critical. He also condemned continued Israeli strikes in Syria, saying they endanger regional security and must immediately cease.
Oktay additionally noted his participation in the “International Crimea Platform Fourth Parliamentary Summit” in Stockholm, where he reaffirmed Ankara’s position of non-recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and stressed Türkiye’s commitment to protecting the rights, identity and political status of the Crimean Tatar community.
At the close of the meeting, Oktay called on all parliamentary groups to advance the 102 proposals currently on the parliament’s agenda, noting that since the start of the 28th legislative term, 64 committee-approved bills had passed into law.
Lawmakers also approved seven international agreements, including military framework deals with Zimbabwe and Gambia, an updated land transport protocol with Kyrgyzstan, a double taxation agreement with Hong Kong, and cooperation agreements with Madagascar and the Organization of Turkic States on the digital economy. The committee further endorsed Türkiye’s approval of the U.N. treaty on the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Oktay announced the formation of a “Subcommittee on Turks Abroad and Related Communities,” tasked with strengthening cultural, social and political ties with citizens and kin communities living outside Türkiye, monitoring challenges they face and relaying developments to the Turkish Parliament.
