Turkey is intensifying its mediation efforts in resolving the Ukraine conflict amid growing tensions in the Black Sea, Turkish expert on international relations, Professor Canan Tercan of Istanbul’s Aydin University told TASS, commenting on the August 3 Ukrainian drone strikes on two Turkish dry cargo ships near Novorossiysk. "Turkey’s mediation efforts will now gain even more momentum. Turkey is a country making serious efforts to achieve peace," she said. The expert recalled that Turkey has always kept communication channels open with Russia, Ukraine and NATO on the Ukraine settlement and has repeatedly attempted to bring the parties back to the negotiating table in Istanbul. Turkish authorities have repeatedly expressed their willingness to once again provide their platform for negotiations and a peace summit on Ukraine.