Erdogan calls for “limited ceasefire” in Russia-Ukraine conflict…reports Asian Lite News
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a “limited ceasefire” to halt attacks targeting energy and port facilities in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to the Turkish presidency, Erdogan made the remarks during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of an international peace forum in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
During their talks, Erdogan said that the efforts to end the Ukraine-Russia conflict with a just and lasting peace are “valuable.” He added that progress can be made “in areas with practical benefits for both sides,” noting that “a limited ceasefire targeting energy facilities and ports would be beneficial.”
Erdogan stressed that Türkiye is closely following the negotiation processes aimed at ending the conflict and that “Türkiye, within this framework, can host talks in all formats,” according to the statement.
The statement noted that the talks also covered bilateral relations, the EU’s freezing of Russian assets, the latest developments in Gaza and Syria, and the peace process in the South Caucasus.
On Friday, a forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust was held in Ashgabat. The event has drawn high-level delegations and representatives of international organizations.
In another development, Türkiye expressed concern on Friday after a missile struck a Turkish-owned civilian ship at Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port near Odesa, causing damage but no reported casualties, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry stated that the crew and drivers had been evacuated, and no Turkish citizens were reported injured. It added that Türkiye’s consulate general in Odesa was monitoring the situation and providing support.
Ankara reiterated its concerns about the Russia-Ukraine conflict spreading into the Black Sea. It called for measures to prevent escalation, including suspending attacks targeting navigation safety, as well as energy and port infrastructure.
The vessel, the M/V CENK T, operated by Cenk Denizcilik, was hit by a ballistic missile around 1600 local time (1400 GMT) after berthing at the Chornomorsk terminal, the operator confirmed. The ship operates on the Karasu-Odesa route carrying trucks.
The strike sparked a fire in the bow section, which was quickly extinguished by tugboats, port firefighting teams, and the ship’s crew. The company said the damage appeared limited to material losses, with no injuries among the crew or truck drivers.
Ukrainian authorities said the ship was targeted by “a Russian attack.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted photos showing a large fire aboard a ship in Chornomorsk port, with firefighters tackling the blaze. He accused the Russian side of continuing to “destroy normal life in Ukraine.”
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Diesel Smuggling
Iran has seized a foreign oil tanker carrying 6 million liters of smuggled diesel in the Gulf of Oman, state-run IRIB news agency reported on Friday.
The tanker was confiscated by Iranian judicial officers on Thursday in Iran’s territorial waters near the southern port city of Jask as part of efforts to combat the main fuel smuggling networks and smugglers, the IRIB quoted Mojtaba Ghahremani, chief justice of the southern Hormozgan province, as saying.
He said the vessel lacked the required maritime documents and the bill of lading for its fuel cargo, adding that it had turned off all its navigation and navigational aid systems.
Ghahremani noted that there were 18 crew members on board the oil tanker, identifying them as nationals of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
