The Ukraine-Russia conflict's impact expands as both sides target commercial vessels in the Black Sea, endangering global trade and food security. Turkey, a key mediator and Black Sea littoral state, faces attacks, prompting warnings. The attacks threaten the Black Sea Grain Initiative and could disrupt grain exports, impacting global food supply chains and prices.
The Ukraine-Russia conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths on both warring sides, Western sanctions on one of the world's three top oil producers, and much insecurity across Europe.Recently, another troubling development has added to these issues, as both Ukrainian and Russian forces target commercial vessels across the Black Sea , jeopardising not only the security of littoral states but also global commercial interests.
Türkiye, a neutral country with the longest coast to the Black Sea, is among those littoral states impacted by recent Ukraine-Russia retaliations, as attackstargeted Turkish-owned ships.After the Russian-origin attacks on Turkish ships, Ankara issued a stark warning to both sides that targeting commercial ships will“benefit no one”.Ankara has played a crucial role in various negotiations, including the landmarkBlack Sea Grain Initiativein 2022, when the war raged across all fronts.The agreement has been backed by both Kiev and Moscow, ensuring the safety of a sea and air corridor for grain exports.Viva, one of the Turkish-owned vessels attacked by a drone strike, was transporting sunflower oil to Egypt, sailing through the grain corridor, a sea route both parties promised to keep safe according to the 2022 agreement.“Türkiye reportedly facilitated the export of both Ukrainian and Russian grain and agricultural products to the world, and therefore contributed to containing price increases at the global level,” Ecaterina Matoi, a Bucharest-based researcher, tellsTRT World.“Should this arrangement be impacted by growing tensions in the Black Sea, global food supply chains will probably be impacted and the Black Sea region may lose its rank as a secure source of grain and agricultural products,” Matoi says.This will put the Black Sea region at a major disadvantage as a grain supplier and harm all the countries along its coast, she says.Will the conflict spread further?Russian attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea followed Ukrainian assaults onMoscow’s energy facilities from the Caspian Seato other regions.Experts view the rising attacks on commercial ships in the Black Sea as a troubling trend with regional and global implications.“These latest incidents in the Black Sea demonstrate the risk of the Ukraine conflict spreading to surrounding areas,” Ozgur Korpe, a visiting lecturer at the National Defence University, says.The Turkish defence ministry also cautioned both sides in a recent statement that attacks on commercial ships confirmed Ankara’s previously voiced concerns regarding “the spread of the ongoing war” to the Black Sea, and “its impact on maritime security and freedom of navigation”.Korpe draws attention to the fact that the attacked vessels, belonging to Türkiye, which continues to play a mediating role between the two sides, make the situation worse, signalling increasing dangers for the Black Sea security.“Neutral states, benefiting fromthe law of neutralityenshrined by international law, can conduct commercial relations with the warring parties.“Therefore, the warring parties need to keep their battlefields isolated in terms of collateral damage to third parties and they need to exercise sensitivity in their target selection,” Korpe tellsTRT World.Despite this, both Ukraine and Russia show less concern about these sensitivities as the war continues, according Korpe, who is also a former Turkish military officer.“Türkiye's concerns in this regard are justified,” he says, adding that this carefree attitude might lead to the suspension of commercial activities with both warring states for security reasons.Following recent attacks, Russian leader Vladimir Putinthreatenedto cut “Ukraine off the sea,' while Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of further aggression against his country’s interests.Matoi believes that escalating tensions in the Black Sea will not favour either side.If Moscow takes action towards a possible blockade of Ukrainian ports like Odesa, this could affect not only Ukraine but also other littoral nations, including Russia, adversely due to negative global reactions to disruptions in the food supply chain, says Matoi.Flying dronesOn Friday, Turkish authorities detected a Russian-made drone in Izmit, a province in the northwestern province of Türkiye, near Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest metropolis.It was detected after a drone of unknown origin was shot down by the country’s air force near Ankara, the capital, several days earlier.“We’ve been affected badly in recent weeks. Ships have been targeted by both sides, and now drones are flying not only over the warring parties but into our territory,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan FidantoldTRT Worldduring a recent interview.Fidan also drew attention to the fact that Black Sea escalation is “very dangerous” and can impact not only Türkiye and other littoral states but also Europe. “It could spread to different parts of Europe as well.”Previously,numerous drones were spottedacross Polish, Romanian, German, Danish and Belgian airspaces, signalling that things can get out of control.While European states accused Russia of those incursions, the Kremlin vehemently denied them.How to de-escalateEarly in 2024, Türkiyemediated a Black Sea shipping dealbetween Kiev and Moscow aimed at an effective ceasefire in the region.And a deal was to be announced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Although the deal was very close to being finalised between the two sides, Ukrainians suddenly left the negotiation table for unknown reasons, according to sources familiar with the then-negotiations.In March this year, there wasanother close callon a similar agreement to the Turkish-mediated 2024 deal to ensure a ceasefire in the Black Sea, involving the Trump administration.“Russia said it was ready to discuss a ceasefire in the Black Sea, but Ukraine refused to agree to agreements on safe shipping because it believes that the initiative in the Black Sea is in its favor, as recent attacks show,” says Oleg Ignatov, a senior analyst on Russia at International Crisis Group.But now, under increasing pressure from the Trump administration, Kiev might be more willing to discuss such a Black Sea ceasefire as part of a peace deal with Russia, according to Ignatov.“Ukraine and Russia will be under pressure from Türkiye and other countries to stop doing this. But it should be reciprocal of course, both sides should go back to an understanding they had before,” Ignatov tellsTRT World.
Ukraine-Russia Conflict Black Sea Commercial Vessels Grain Initiative Food Security Turkey
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Coast Guard seizes vessel off Venezuelan coast in escalation of Trump-Maduro tensionsThe U.S. seized a vessel off Venezuela's coast, the first such seizure since Trump declared a blockade of all Venezuelan oil vessels.
Read more »
US, Venezuela jam GPS signals in Caribbean amid escalating tensionsOn December 10, US forces seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, which it said was involved in carrying 'sanctioned oil' to Iran.
Read more »
Israel approves 19 new Jewish settlements in West Bank, raising tensions with PalestiniansThe approval increases the number of settlements in the West Bank by nearly 50% during the current far-right government's tenure.
Read more »
US seizes third Venezuelan oil tanker amid rising tensions with CaracasPanamanian-flagged vessel sanctioned by US, was en route to Venezuela to load oil when it was intercepted, Bloomberg reports.
Read more »
Brooklyn Beckham Reportedly Blocks Parents on Instagram Amid Family TensionsRumors of a family feud between David and Victoria Beckham and their son Brooklyn Beckham intensify as Brooklyn reportedly blocked his parents on Instagram. This digital disconnect follows reports of the couple's absence from David's recent birthday and other social media unfollowing.
Read more »
WTI rises to one-week high amid geopolitical tensions, eyes $57.00West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Crude Oil prices kick off the new week on a positive note and touch a one-week top, around the $57.00 neighborhood during the Asian session. The intraday rise, however, lacks bullish conviction amid a combination of diverging forces.
Read more »