ISTANBUL, November 1, 2026 — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have agreed to work on a new Black Sea grain corridor, renewing diplomatic efforts to protect commercial shipping during Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The two leaders met in Istanbul on Saturday, October 31. Erdogan urged Russia and Ukraine to stop targeting civilian vessels, saying attacks on commercial shipping risked further escalation and threatened international trade.

Zelenskyy said the discussions focused substantially on maritime security and the possibility of restoring safer passage for grain shipments. Ukraine is a major agricultural exporter, and disruption to Black Sea routes has consequences for global food markets.

Turkey maintains relations with both Kyiv and Moscow and has repeatedly offered to facilitate negotiations. Ankara has previously hosted talks between the two sides and played a role in diplomatic arrangements intended to enable grain exports.

The latest initiative comes amid renewed concern about attacks on ships and infrastructure in the wider Black Sea region. Any new corridor would require practical security arrangements and sufficient confidence among the parties to protect vessels and crews.

The leaders also discussed broader diplomatic efforts to end the war. Zelenskyy has called for continued international involvement, while Erdogan said Turkey remained ready to support negotiations and initiatives that could reduce tensions.

Sources: Al Jazeera, October 31, 2026; Reuters, October 30, 2026. Featured image is an illustrative Istanbul photograph and does not depict the leaders’ meeting.