Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Monday he and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan had discussed safe navigation for shipping in the Black Sea. “I conveyed Ukraine’s interest in further developing cooperation between Ukraine and Türkiye, especially in defense area,” Sybiha wrote on the social platform X. “I also underscored the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea. We also discussed ways to a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.” Sybiha had earlier called for support to stop intensified Russian strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea port infrastructure, in comments made while on a visit to Turkiye on Monday. He said such strikes in recent weeks had damaged four civilian vessels. Turkiye has offered to act as an intermediary to end the more than 2-1/2-year old war sparked by the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine and has endeavoured to maintain good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv. “We see benefit in once again discussing initiatives that could serve peace, like the Black Sea grain initiative,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, referring to the deal Turkiye helped broker to allow Black Sea exports from Ukraine’s ports. “I discussed this with my counterpart as well, we admire Ukraine’s positive stance on this.” The Black Sea grain initiative remained in force for about a year until Russia backed out of the accord in July 2023, saying provisions of the agreement were not being fulfilled.