This Tuesday marked a new escalation in the Ukraine conflict as damage from the Kakhovka dam intensified the crisis. Following the enigmatic blast at the facility—a blame game between Moscow and Kyiv intensified fears—about 16,000 people found themselves at risk, while the stability of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant remained precariously tethered to ongoing security concerns.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan proposed a trilateral path involving Ukraine and Russia, inviting Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin to set up an expert commission to investigate the partial dam collapse. He suggested that representatives from Russia, Ukraine, Türkiye, and the United Nations take part, aiming to mirror the four-party framework that helped broker the Black Sea grain export accord in mid-2022.
The Turkish leader sought to leverage this moment to press for renewed negotiations, warning that the war would not pause while violence continued. The Erdoğan administration reported ongoing civilian losses and ongoing daily hardships as events unfolded. Zelensky, while declining to endorse an international commission at this stage, confirmed in a social media post that he had spoken with Erdoğan about the human and environmental consequences of what he described as an act of terrorism. He added that he had provided a list of urgent needs to address the disaster and protect affected communities.
Official Ukrainian briefings indicated that evacuations had reached the most affected zones. The floodwaters, triggered by the dam’s breach, displaced more than 1,450 people along the western bank of the Dnieper River, which bisects the Kherson region. Ukrainian authorities described the incident as an ecological catastrophe and noted impacts beyond Ukraine, including damage to Turkey’s sewage treatment and water distribution infrastructure. Local officials in Kherson reported that six water treatment facilities were submerged, complicating efforts to restore essential services.
Turkish importance
From Kyiv’s perspective, Türkiye’s role carries substantial weight in international diplomacy. Ankara’s engagement is seen as pivotal to discussions on the withdrawal of troops and the broader status of occupied Ukrainian territory, as well as potential extensions to the grain agreement and the handling of individuals displaced since the conflict began.
Erdoğan urged Putin to approve a renewed extension of the grain and fertilizer export framework, signaling Türkiye’s interest in maintaining stability around critical supply lines. In parallel, Ankara signaled a continuing willingness to support a durable peace and to back practical measures that could end hostilities.
The Turkish president underscored Ankara’s readiness to contribute to a just peace, stressing that concrete steps and coordinated international efforts would be essential to resolving the crisis and addressing humanitarian needs across the region.
“barbaric act”
During a recent telephone exchange, the Russian president warned that the dam breach might be used as a weapon aiming to incapacitate the Kajovskaya hydroelectric facility and trigger a far-reaching environmental and humanitarian disaster.
Putin criticized the Kyiv authorities for taking what he described as a dangerous gamble, allegedly endorsed by Western supporters, by escalating military actions, accusing Ukraine of war crimes and employing hostile, destabilizing tactics on Russian soil. The two sides offered starkly opposing interpretations of the dam collapse as authorities and observers in Ankara and the United Nations Secretariat cautioned against assigning blame without independent verification.
Mutual accusations regarding the dam’s partial collapse circulated from Kyiv and Moscow, with many towns along the river facing flood threats. While Ankara refrained from assigning blame, there was cautious acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation. The UN secretary-general indicated that there was not enough independent information to reach a definitive conclusion at that moment, underscoring the need for transparent, fact-based assessments from all parties involved.