Ankara: A high-level meeting focused on Black Sea security will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Naval Forces Command headquarters in Ankara, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Sunday.
The meeting aims to discuss military planning measures to preserve peace in the region, particularly in the event of a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the Ministry said in a statement.
Military representatives from various countries are expected to attend, with discussions centered on the maritime dimension of maintaining stability in the Black Sea, Xinhua news agency reported.
The list of participating countries was not disclosed.
The meeting builds on earlier cooperation efforts, including the establishment of the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea Task Group in July 2024.
The initiative, led by Turkey in coordination with Romania and Bulgaria, was launched to address the threat of drifting sea mines that emerged following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war.
On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, and discussed a range of issues, including the Ukraine war and the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sees a new regulation on maritime safety in the Black Sea ahead of the talks as a potential way to build confidence for the peace process.
Erdogan highlighted Turkey’s previous mediation efforts, including the Black Sea grain deal, which enabled Ukrainian agricultural exports until Russia withdrew in 2023.
He reaffirmed that during his talks with Zelensky, Turkey expressed its support for Ukraine’s complete territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence.
Zelensky, who postponed a planned visit to Saudi Arabia amid ongoing US-Russia talks, reiterated that Ukraine must be included in any negotiations over its future.
The Saudi talks on February 18 marked the first direct discussions between US and Russian officials since the full-scale invasion began, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meeting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
(IANS)
