ISTANBUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday condemned attacks on civilian vessels as unacceptable and warned that the Ukraine conflict is spilling over into the Black Sea, following talks with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Erdogan urged all sides to act responsibly, noting that "escalating tensions and targeting civilian vessels will not benefit anyone."
"A just peace has no losers," said Erdogan, recalling that early peace negotiations hosted by Türkiye between Moscow and Kyiv proved diplomacy could still yield tangible results.
For his part, Zelensky said he agreed with Erdogan to work on the Black Sea grain corridor, aiming to ensure the maritime passage remains operational and effective.
The United Nations and Türkiye brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative with Russia and Ukraine to provide a humanitarian maritime corridor for ships with food and fertilizer exports from three designated Ukrainian Black Sea ports in July 2022.
With their free trade agreement (FTA) now in effect, the two countries are preparing new joint industrial and economic projects to create fresh business opportunities, Zelensky said.
The FTA between Türkiye and Ukraine was signed on Feb. 3, 2022, and officially entered into force on Oct. 1, 2026. ■
