Overview
- Kyiv transmitted a narrowly scoped proposal through a third party on Aug. 13 asking both sides to stop strikes on civilian and commercial vessels in the Black Sea.
- Moscow has publicly dismissed limited moratoriums and said it received no formal Turkish proposal while accusing Ukraine of deliberate attacks on civilian shipping.
- Ukrainian missile and drone strikes forced suspension of operations at all three commercial terminals in Novorossiysk on Aug. 12 and many shipowners have halted calls at Odesa ports.
- The fighting has sharply curtailed exports, with reporting of about a 76% year‑on‑year drop in Ukrainian grain shipments and volatile wheat futures as insurers and shipowners reassess risks.
- Turkey has pushed for a moratorium and acted as an intermediary but formal, reciprocal guarantees remain absent and the collapse of the 2022–23 grain deal leaves trade and food‑security risks unresolved.