Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged both Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea as he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to work on a new grain corridor through the waterway.

Erdogan made the comments on Saturday at a joint news conference with Zelenskyy in Istanbul, saying attacks on civilian vessels were unacceptable, whoever carries them out.

The talks came on the same day US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was growing international interest in a limited ceasefire in the Black Sea to secure grain and energy shipments by both countries.

“It is clear that attacks against civilian vessels and actions that further escalate tensions in the Black Sea serve no one’s interests,” Erdogan said.

“We cannot accept these attacks under any circumstances, regardless of who carries them out or what justification is offered,” he said, adding, “We call on all parties to act responsibly on this matter.”Turkiye, which maintains ties with both Moscow and Kyiv, has been angered by the strikes on commercial shipping.

Ankara has sent Russia and Ukraine a proposal to end attacks, but says neither side has acted on it.

The Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet struck by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in Black Sea [File: undated handout obtained on Friday/AFP] Leaders agree to work on grain corridor Zelenskyy accused Russia of making the situation in the Black Sea difficult and said a significant part of his conversation with Erdogan focused on security there.

“Today, I reached an agreement with President Erdogan to work on the Black Sea grain corridor,” he said.

He said Turkiye supports efforts to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea and restore normal living conditions.

“We discussed with President Erdogan some ideas and proposals that can help,” Zelenskyy said, thanking the Turkish leader for the dialogue. Erdogan said talks to restore safe navigation would continue.

“I believe that reaching an agreement on this issue would also give fresh impetus to efforts to secure lasting peace in Ukraine,” he said.

The US is reviewing proposals by Turkiye and India to get grain shipments moving, according to Rubio.

“This is threatening the world for food security and some energy security as well,” Rubio told a news conference in Atlanta, Georgia, following a G20 foreign ministers meeting. “We’d like to achieve it. It doesn’t solve the war, but at least it solves a unique aspect of it.”Zelenskyy raises possibility of talks in Turkiye Erdogan also welcomed renewed momentum behind efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war through diplomatic means, pointing in particular to US President Donald Trump’s initiative.

“At this point, we maintain that there can be no losers in a just peace,” he said, adding, “I would like to emphasise that we stand ready to make every possible effort to pave the way for peace”.

Turkiye has hosted several rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed at a lasting ceasefire and peace deal, which Erdogan said showed that “tangible results can be achieved through diplomacy”.

In a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, Erdogan said Turkiye was ready to support efforts to revive the diplomatic process and end the war, according to the Turkish president’s office.

Last week, the Kremlin said the next round of talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US was planned to resume in November in the United Arab Emirates.

Zelenskyy said he had discussed that format with Erdogan, along with other options, including involving Turkiye, Europe and other partners, as well as the possibility of a meeting in Turkiye.

“Strong decisions are needed for there to be peace,” he said. “And it is necessary at all levels to send signals to Russia that there is no alternative to peace and that support for Ukraine will continue.”