Overview
- Ukraine transmitted a proposal through a third party on Aug 13 asking both sides to stop attacking civilian targets at sea and is awaiting a response.
- Russia publicly dismissed limited pauses and said it had received no formal Turkish proposal, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accusing Ukraine of attacks on civilian shipping.
- Ukrainian strikes on Aug 12 forced suspension of operations at all three commercial terminals in Novorossiysk and shipowners halted many calls at Odesa in late July, pushing Ukrainian grain shipments sharply lower.
- Turkey has pressed both Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a moratorium and is acting as the regional interlocutor with influence over strait transit and diplomatic channels.
- The fighting has raised insurance costs, driven volatile wheat prices, strained alternative routes such as rail and the Danube that lack capacity, and worsened food‑security risks for importers and crews.