--- title: "Kyiv Proposes a 'Moratorium' on Attacks in the Black Sea: Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkey Calls Ankara a Key Arbiter" description: "Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Nariman Jelyal, stated that Kyiv has prepared proposals for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea and the resumption of grain transit, and that Ankara could play a key role in pressuring Russia." date: 2026-09-03T04:52:03.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kyiv-proposes-black-sea-moratorium-turkey-key-arbiter-en tags: [ukraine, turkey, black-sea, grain-export, diplomacy] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Kyiv Proposes a 'Moratorium' on Attacks in the Black Sea: Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkey Calls Ankara a Key Arbiter ![Diplomat comments on Kyiv's proposal for a Black Sea strike moratorium and Turkey's role as arbiter](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/03/kyiv-proposes-black-sea-moratorium-turkey-key-role/kyiv-proposes-black-sea-moratorium-turkey-key-role-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Ukraine has concrete proposals for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea and the resumption of grain transit, voiced by Zelenskyy. - Ambassador Nariman Jelyal believes that Turkey could play a key role in compelling Russia to cease fire. - Ankara is already engaged in diplomacy: Ukrainian and Russian diplomats were summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and negotiations on safe grain export are underway. - The sides disagree on the causes of the shipping crisis: Kyiv points to Russian attacks, while the opposing side points to the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Ukraine has prepared concrete proposals for halting attacks in the Black Sea and resuming grain shipments, but their implementation is hampered by the question of how to compel the Russian side to comply with such a regime. This was stated in an interview with RBC-Ukraine by Ukraine's ambassador to Turkey, Nariman Jelyal, who emphasized that Kyiv has already voiced its position through President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and is now awaiting a response. According to the diplomat, against the backdrop of ongoing strikes on civilian vessels, including those carrying Ukrainian grain, serious concern is being expressed not only by shipowners and insurance companies but also by regional states. ### What Kyiv Is Proposing and What It Expects from Moscow According to the ambassador's statement, the Ukrainian side is not limiting itself to general rhetoric: in Ankara, it is asserted that Kyiv has "concrete proposals" for ending attacks in the Black Sea waters and restoring grain transit. These initiatives, according to Jelyal, were publicly voiced by President Zelenskyy, and the Ukrainian side is now awaiting a reaction from Russia. The wording "moratorium" indicates that this is not a full-scale peace agreement, but rather a time- and geography-limited ceasefire regime in the maritime zone, which should ease the acuteness of the crisis around shipping and agricultural product exports. ### Why Turkey May Play a Key Role Jelyal acknowledged that even if some understanding is reached between Kyiv and Moscow, the question remains open as to whether the Russian side can in fact be compelled to honor the conditional moratorium. It is precisely here, in the ambassador's assessment, that "Turkey's role could become key." As an illustration of the complexity of ensuring shipping security amid confrontation, he cited the example of the Strait of Hormuz, noting that guaranteeing full security under such conditions is extremely difficult. Thus, Ankara is viewed not merely as an observer but as a potential arbiter and guarantor, whose pressure and diplomatic weight could influence Moscow's behavior in the Black Sea. ### Diplomatic Context in Ankara The ambassador's statement fits into a broader diplomatic backdrop: according to Turkish media, representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian diplomatic missions were summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry in connection with incidents in the Black Sea, indicating that Ankara is actively engaged in resolving the situation. In parallel, the Turkish side has stated that it is holding negotiations with Kyiv and Moscow on the safe export of grain through the Black Sea, offering its own transport schemes. The totality of these steps confirms that Turkey is positioning itself as a central diplomatic hub in the Black Sea crisis, where the interests of both sides of the conflict and regional players intersect. ### Contradictory Data In the public discourse around Black Sea shipping, there are diverging assessments of whose actions pose the main threat to security. The Ukrainian side, represented by Ambassador Jelyal, points to Russian attacks on civilian and grain vessels as the source of concern for shipowners and insurance companies. At the same time, a number of sources record the opposite rhetoric, in which emphasis is placed on the actions of Ukrainian forces in the Black Sea and their impact on trade and exports, including Turkish ones. Thus, the sides classify the cause of the shipping crisis differently: Kyiv speaks of Russian strikes, while the opposing side points to Ukrainian operations. This divergence in narrative complicates the development of a unified position on the moratorium and makes the role of a neutral mediator β€” above all Turkey β€” even more important. ### Outlook and What Comes Next The conclusion drawn from the ambassador's statement is that Ukraine is ready for dialogue and has a ready package of proposals, but their success depends on two factors: Moscow's willingness to compromise and Turkey's ability to provide pressure and guarantees. Until a response from the Russian side is received and a mechanism to enforce the moratorium is determined, the threat to civilian shipping and grain exports persists. In the coming weeks, the key indicator will be whether Ankara can convert the diplomatic channel and the summonses to the Foreign Ministry into concrete agreements on a security regime in the Black Sea. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [Turkey's Role Could Become Key in Ending Ukraine's and Russia's Attacks in the Black Sea, Says Jelyal](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rol-turechchini-mozhe-stati-klyuchovoyu-pripinenni-1788411061.html) - Основной источник: заявлСния посла Наримана ДТСляла ΠΎ прСдлоТСниях КиСва, ΠΌΠΎΡ€Π°Ρ‚ΠΎΡ€ΠΈΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΊΠ»ΡŽΡ‡Π΅Π²ΠΎΠΉ Ρ€ΠΎΠ»ΠΈ Π’ΡƒΡ€Ρ†ΠΈΠΈ, аналогия с ΠžΡ€ΠΌΡƒΠ·ΡΠΊΠΈΠΌ ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΠ»ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠΌ. - [Representatives of Ukraine's and Russia's Diplomatic Missions Were ... in Connection with Attacks in the Black Sea](https://www.aa.com.tr/ru/%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F/%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%85-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8B-%D0%B8-%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%81%D0%B2%D1%8F%D0%B7%D0%B8-%D1%81-%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC-%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B5-%D0%B1%D1%8B%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%8B-%D0%B2-%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%B4-%D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8/3762399) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Π²ΠΎΠ²Π»Π΅Ρ‡Π΅Π½Π½ΠΎΡΡ‚ΡŒ Анкары: Π²Ρ‹Π·ΠΎΠ² Π΄ΠΈΠΏΠ»ΠΎΠΌΠ°Ρ‚ΠΎΠ² Π² ΠœΠ˜Π” Π’ΡƒΡ€Ρ†ΠΈΠΈ ΠΏΠΎ чСрноморским ΠΈΠ½Ρ†ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π½Ρ‚Π°ΠΌ. - [Turkey Stated That It Is Holding Negotiations with Ukraine and Russia on Safe Grain Export Through the Black Sea](https://nv.ua/world/geopolitics/zernovoe-soglashenie-turciya-predlozhila-novyy-plan-transportirovki-zerna-po-chernomu-moryu-50637280.html) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ ΠΏΠ΅Ρ€Π΅Π³ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΡ€Π½ΡƒΡŽ Ρ€ΠΎΠ»ΡŒ Π’ΡƒΡ€Ρ†ΠΈΠΈ ΠΏΠΎ Π·Π΅Ρ€Π½ΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠΌΡƒ Ρ‚Ρ€Π°Π½Π·ΠΈΡ‚Ρƒ ΠΈ ΠΏΡ€Π΅Π΄Π»ΠΎΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π½ΠΎΠ²Ρ‹Ρ… схСм транспортировки. - [It Has Become Known How Ukrainian Armed Forces' Attacks in the Black Sea Affected Turkey's Exports](https://news.ru/world/stalo-izvestno-kak-ataki-vsu-v-chernom-more-otrazilis-na-eksporte-turcii) - Использован для Π±Π»ΠΎΠΊΠ° ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΡ‚ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΡ€Π΅Ρ‡ΠΈΠ²Ρ‹Ρ… Π΄Π°Π½Π½Ρ‹Ρ…: фиксируСт ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΡ‚ΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠΏΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠΆΠ½Ρ‹ΠΉ Π½Π°Ρ€Ρ€Π°Ρ‚ΠΈΠ² ΠΎΠ± Π°ΠΊΡ†Π΅Π½Ρ‚Π΅ Π½Π° дСйствиях Π’Π‘Π£ ΠΈ ΠΈΡ… влиянии Π½Π° Ρ‚ΠΎΡ€Π³ΠΎΠ²Π»ΡŽ. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What proposals regarding the Black Sea has Ukraine put forward? **A:** According to Ambassador Nariman Jelyal, Kyiv has concrete proposals for ending attacks in the Black Sea and resuming grain transportation; they were voiced by President Zelenskyy, and Ukraine is awaiting a response from Russia. ### Q: Why could Turkey play a key role? **A:** Jelyal noted that the question is whether the Russian side can be compelled to honor the moratorium, and here "Turkey's role could become key." He compared the difficulty of ensuring shipping security to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. ### Q: Are there discrepancies in assessments of the situation? **A:** Yes. The Ukrainian side points to Russian attacks on civilian and grain vessels, while a number of sources emphasize the actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and their impact on exports. This divergence in narratives complicates the development of a unified position on the moratorium.