ANKARA, September 28 (HS/RIA Novosti) - Turkey intends to intensify soon diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict and ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, a source in the Turkish government told RIA Novosti.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had previously said that discussions regarding Black Sea security were underway. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Turkey had indeed presented proposals concerning security in the Black Sea.

Turkey will soon step up its diplomacy regarding Ukraine and the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. Ankara will continue contacts with the parties involved to restore the security of maritime traffic, protect commercial shipping, and prevent the conflict from spreading further, the source said.

According to the source, Turkey believes the Black Sea should not become a combat zone and that the safety of merchant vessels and the unimpeded movement of traffic along maritime routes must be guaranteed.

Turkey will continue diplomatic steps aimed at resuming the negotiation process and creating conditions for a sustainable security regime in the Black Sea, he added.

The source noted that Ankara viewed the safety of navigation as a key element in preventing further escalation of the conflict.

He emphasized that Turkey intended to maintain contact with both the Russian and Ukrainian sides, seeking to develop mutually acceptable mechanisms. According to the source, Ankara will continue to use diplomatic channels to bring the parties back to the negotiating table and reduce the risk of the conflict spreading beyond Ukraine's borders.

Recently, attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on maritime civilian infrastructure and merchant vessels have become more frequent. In July, Ukrainian drones struck the Turkish dry cargo ship MV Reyhan Sari in the Black Sea, killing one sailor and injuring three others. Additionally, the Turkish-flagged dry cargo ship MV Gulluk was attacked by a Ukrainian drone off the coast near the port of Novorossiysk.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar