The Turkish government has requested a moratorium for commercial ships in the Black Sea, following drone attacks on some Turkish vessels.

The Turkish government requested on Saturday the establishment of a moratorium on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, following recent drone attacks on two ships operated by Turkish companies.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that a mechanism is necessary to protect commercial vessels, considering the escalation of the conflict in the region. According to him, the attacks are no longer targeting just military ships, but all commercial vessels, which has raised concerns among Turkish authorities.

Additionally, Ankara has restricted the traffic of commercial vessels to the Black Sea, including routes to the port of Novorossiisk in Russia, an important hub for oil and grain exports.

These measures come in response to the deteriorating security situation in the area, which affects civilian maritime transport.