BRUSSELS

Türkiye is, in principle, ready to take the lead in Black Sea maritime security with other partners as part of post-war security guarantees based on a mutually agreed peace deal, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, following the attacks against commercial vessels in the Black Sea on Nov. 28, Türkiye has reiterated warnings against the expansion of the war toward its own coasts and the risk of the conflict spreading across the Black Sea.

Ankara underscores that it will not allow the security of the Black Sea to be threatened by any country, not only by the directly involved actors.

Only Russia and Ukraine have the right to make the final decisions regarding any peace agreement, and Türkiye strongly supports negotiations aimed at ending the war, the sources said.

Since the start of the conflict in February 2022, Türkiye has played a leading role in securing consensus on key issues such as the Black Sea Grain Initiative and prisoner exchanges, prioritizing efforts toward ending the war.

As the war continues to inflict damage on both Ukraine and Russia, Türkiye remains one of the rare countries maintaining dialogue with both sides and stands ready to provide any support needed throughout the peace process.

Regarding the security guarantees to be put in place following a mutually agreed peace settlement, the sources confirm that it is, in principle, prepared to take on responsibilities and assume a leading role in the maritime domain in the Black Sea together with other partners.

- Contribution to European defense

Sources also noted that Türkiye plays a significant role in Europe's defense with its size, capabilities, and capacity.

As NATO's second-largest army and the second-biggest contributor to the alliance operations and missions, Türkiye also exports defense industry products worth more than $7 billion.

Türkiye's robust defense industry, employing around 100,000 people, enables this level of production and export capacity.

Excluding a country in such a position from European defense initiatives does not serve the interests of the EU, which is seeking to establish its own defense structure, according to the sources.

- NATO enlargement

The sources underlined that NATO's open-door policy is based on Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which allows new members to join if their accession is considered to contribute to the security of existing allies.

Accordingly, if current members believe that further enlargement is not possible at a given time, this perspective should also be respected.

Türkiye has continued its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, the sources noted.