Defense minister discusses aircraft, commercial ships with Ukrainian counterpart

ANKARA

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spoke over the phone with his Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksii Reznikov, and discussed the issue of ensuring safe transportation of Turkish Armed Forces A400M aircraft and commercial ships waiting in Ukrainian ports to Turkey, the Turkish Defense Ministry has said.

Akar emphasized the need for a ceasefire declaration and that Turkey will continue to do its part in peace building and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, as it has done so far, the statement said.

Turkey’s two military cargo aircraft were stranded in Kiev on the day the war erupted between Russia and Ukraine. Ankara has been discussing the safe return of the aircraft with both Russian and Ukrainian officials, but assurances could not be made yet.

Ankara is making efforts to bring back 22 Turkish cargo ships stranded on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoglu said on April 15.

NATO member Turkey, which has friendly ties with both sides, has positioned itself as a mediator. Ankara announced that it would fully implement the requirements of the Montreux Convention and urged all parties to refrain from making the Black Sea an arena of “competition.”