The Kremlin said the leaders held a detailed discussion about the Russian initiative and Erdogan expressed full support, reiterating Turkey’s readiness to provide a venue and assist in organizing the negotiations.
Erdogan told Macron that international cooperation is critical for initiating peace negotiations and the "sensitive implementation" of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction processes, the Turkish Presidency reported.
The assault began around 2 a.m. on May 11, with Russian forces deploying 108 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs from multiple directions, Ukraine’s Air Force said.
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end... I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce called for "concrete proposals from both sides" in order for Washington to "move forward" in peace negotiations.
"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
A ship moored in the Black Sea port of Odesa within the framework of the grain corridor, on Feb. 20, 2023, in southern Ukraine. Image for illustrative purposes only. (Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
A Liberian-flagged oil tanker hit a mine in the Black Sea off the Romanian coast on Oct. 15, Sky News reported, citing Reuters news agency.
The vessel Ali Najafov sustained only minor damage, and the crew was unharmed, sources told Reuters.
The ship was sailing near the Sulina channel when the explosion occurred, Yoruk Isik, head of the Bosphorus Observer consultancy, reportedly said.
The incident was independently confirmed for Reuters by an undisclosed Ukrainian source.
By 6 p.m. Kyiv time on Oct. 16, marine traffic tracking sites show Ali Najafov moving through one of the branches of the Danube Delta.
This is the second reported incident of a cargo ship hitting a mine in the Black Sea this month. On Oct. 5, Reuters reported that a Turkish-flagged ship sustained minor damage after hitting a sea mine.
The security in the Black Sea deteriorated following Russia's unilateral withdrawal from the grain deal. The Russian military has tried to block trade routes and targeted Ukraine's ports with strikes.
The U.K. Defense Ministry warned earlier in October that Russian forces may use sea mines to strike civilian shipping targets in the Black Sea.
Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.
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