Erdogan, Putin discuss Black Sea shipping safety and Ukraine settlement in call
In short
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed safe navigation in the Black Sea and the Ukrainian settlement in a telephone call, the Turkish presidential office said. Erdogan stressed the importance of initiatives to ensure the safety of ship traffic in the Black Sea and said Ankara was ready to help organise direct contacts between Russia and Ukraine. He also congratulated Putin on his birthday and on Russia's September State Duma elections.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone, the Turkish presidential office said, in a conversation that covered “regional and global issues”. According to the office, Erdogan underlined the importance of the initiatives under way to ensure the safety of ship traffic in the Black Sea. He also said Ankara was ready to help organise direct contacts between Russia and Ukraine. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Erdogan congratulated Putin on his birthday and on Russia's September State Duma elections, the office said. Kommersant reported that the Russian president was marking his 74th birthday that day. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant noted that Erdogan had previously offered Istanbul or Ankara as venues for talks on settling the Ukrainian conflict, and that Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Istanbul in the summer of 2025. Turkey agreed in May 2025 to host Russian-Ukrainian talks, and Erdogan had earlier planned to discuss a settlement separately with Putin and with Volodymyr Zelensky, the outlet said. [ 3 ]
Kommersant added that Turkey's practical role in the Black Sea track had involved coordinating shipping safety alongside arrangements for grain exports to world markets, and that shipping-security guarantees tied to the grain deal stopped applying in July 2023 after Russia withdrew from the agreement. It said staging talks in May 2025 required Moscow and Kyiv to confirm participation and delegation composition, so a Turkish venue and diplomatic support do not by themselves substitute for the parties' consent to specific arrangements. [ 3 ]
The documents contain no readout of the call from the Russian side and do not state when during the day the conversation took place. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The call keeps Turkey's channel with Moscow open on two issues where Ankara has acted as organiser: Black Sea shipping safety and talks between Russia and Ukraine. Kommersant notes that previous arrangements of this kind, including shipping-security guarantees tied to the grain deal, lapsed in July 2023 after Russia withdrew, so a phone call alone does not restore them. No Kremlin readout of the conversation appeared in the documents, leaving Russia's position unstated.
Key facts
- Erdogan and Putin held a telephone call on 7 October 2026, according to the Turkish presidential office. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The call covered regional and global issues, the Turkish presidency said. [ 2 ]
- Erdogan stressed the importance of initiatives to ensure the safety of ship traffic in the Black Sea. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Erdogan said Ankara was ready to help organise direct contacts between Russia and Ukraine. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Erdogan congratulated Putin on his birthday; Kommersant said Putin turned 74. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Erdogan also congratulated Putin on Russia's September State Duma elections. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Erdogan and Putin discussed Black Sea shipping safety and the Ukrainian settlement by telephone, as described by the Turkish presidential office. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Erdogan said ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea was important. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Erdogan expressed readiness to help organise direct Russian-Ukrainian contacts. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Erdogan congratulated Putin on his birthday and on the September State Duma elections. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- What the Russian side said in the call, or whether the Kremlin issued its own readout. The documents cite only the Turkish presidential office; the Russian president's position is not stated.
- What specifically was discussed on the Ukrainian settlement beyond Turkey's readiness to facilitate contacts. Documents describe the topic only in general terms.
- What concrete Black Sea shipping initiatives were referred to, and whether any are new. Mentioned only as “ongoing initiatives” without detail.
- The time of day the call took place. Documents give only their own publication times, not the time of the conversation.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- RIA Novosti reports that Erdogan told Putin in a call about the importance of security in the Black Sea. [ 1 ]
- Interfax reports the Turkish presidential office statement on the call, including Black Sea shipping, the Ukrainian settlement and Erdogan's congratulations to Putin. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant publishes its account, adding that Putin turned 74 and background on Turkey's earlier mediation roles and the expiry of grain-deal-related shipping guarantees in July 2023. [ 3 ]