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Russia-Turkey dialogue on security in Black Sea does not stop — MFA

The Turkish leader said in late February that negotiations were continuing in cooperation with the UN to work out new regulations for shipping in the Black Sea

MOSCOW, April 18. /TASS/. Moscow and Ankara regularly discuss security in the Black Sea, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

"We regularly discuss Black Sea-related matters with our Turkish partners. We do not stop this dialogue, in the context of the situation around Ukraine, of course," Zakharova told a news briefing.

Earlier, Reuters said that Turkey had been negotiating for two months an agreement on ensuring the safety of shipping in the Black Sea with Ukraine and Russia. According to the agency, the parties were pushed towards the negotiating table by the United Nations, with Ankara acting as a mediator. At first, Ukraine agreed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would announce the agreement on March 30, but changed its mind at the last minute, according to Reuters. The reasons for this decision are unknown.

Erdogan said in late February that negotiations were continuing in cooperation with the UN to work out new regulations for shipping in the Black Sea. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin noted that the initiative was not related to the grain deal, which expired in July 2023.

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Foreign policy Turkey Maria Zakharova

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