Ukrainian Ambassador to Ankara Naryman Dzhelialov: There is a war in the Black Sea. Ships trading with Russia may become targets. We expect Türkiye to make greater efforts to end the war. Erdoğan should bring Putin and Zelensky together at the Presidential Complex.
Ukrainian Ambassador Naryman Dzhelialov said that they, too, were saddened by the deaths of civilians as a result of civilian cargo ships being struck in the Black Sea, but that it should also be understood that a war is currently under way in the region.
Dzhelialov also commented on the civilian vessels struck by Ukrainian forces in the Black Sea on August 22, during a press conference he held at the Ukrainian Embassy in Ankara on August 24.
“Our aim is not to kill civilians; civilians are not our target. Unfortunately, they are victims of war,” the Ambassador said, claiming that Russia uses all kinds of revenue to finance the war. “Our aim is to stop the Russian war machine,” he said. Dzhelialov continued:
- “Before Russia attacked Ukraine, the Black Sea was a zone of peace. The Black Sea is not a safe place. Shipowners need to take this into account as well.”
Most recently, Turkish cook İsmail Lazoğlu was killed after the Ural, the ship that had rescued him after he survived an earlier attack on the vessel Necibe, was itself struck on August 22. Earlier, on July 21, the Turkish-flagged Reyhan Sarı, carrying coal from Russia’s Port of Taman to Trabzon, was struck, killing engineer Savaş Çakar.
Ukraine proposes “the Presidential Complex”
Acknowledging that ships trading with Russia face the risk of becoming targets and that the war is also affecting Türkiye, the Ukrainian Ambassador said they expected Türkiye to make greater efforts to bring Russia back to the negotiating table.
“We are ready for an unconditional ceasefire,” the Ambassador said, adding:
- “We would like [Erdoğan] to persuade Putin, and for them to sit down at a table with Zelensky at the Presidential Complex; Trump could even be there, and the war could end.”
Saying that Ukraine was ready to return to the Istanbul process, Dzhelialov reiterated that they were prepared to hold talks with Russia, whether in Istanbul, Geneva or Vienna.