Turkey Blocks Passage Of Minehunter Ships En Route To Black Sea

Turkey declared on Tuesday that it would not permit two minehunter ships that Britain had loaned to Ukraine to pass through its seas on their way to the Black Sea because doing so would violate an international agreement about straits navigation during times of conflict.

Last month, the British said they would give the Ukrainian Navy two minehunter ships from the Royal Navy to bolster the country’s maritime operations in its conflict with Russia. Per the presidency’s communications department, NATO member Turkey notified partners that as long as the war in Ukraine persists, it will not permit the vessels to use its straits, the Bosphorus and Dardanelles.

It added in a statement released on social media platform X that our pertinent allies were duly informed that the mine-hunting ships that the United Kingdom donated to Ukraine will not be permitted to travel via the Turkish Straits into the Black Sea as long as the war persists.

Turkey invoked the 1936 Montreux Convention in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thereby obstructing the warring parties’ military ships from passing through. Ships heading back to home bases are excluded from the pact, but since the war’s beginning, neither Ukraine nor Russia have stated that they intend to send warships across the Turkish straits and into the Black Sea. At the time, Turkey also warned entities outside the Black Sea not to send battleships across the straits.

Naval ships belonging to non-belligerent parties are permitted to pass through the straits during times of conflict, per the Montreux Convention. However, the pact also states that Ankara has the last say over the passage of any warships if Turkey believes it is at risk of entering a conflict.

Per the presidency, Turkey has applied Montreux with objectivity and care to stop the situation in the Black Sea from worsening. Throughout the war, Ankara maintained cordial relations with Moscow and Kyiv.

Reference: Reuters

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