Turkish stance on passage of British donated ships to Ukraine intends to show adherence to international agreements.
Turkey declared on Tuesday its stance against permitting two minehunter ships, gifted by Britain to Ukraine, from passing through its waters towards the Black Sea. The decision was based on adherence to an international agreement governing wartime navigation through the straits.
In a move to bolster Ukraine’s maritime capabilities in its conflict with Russia, Britain announced the transfer of two Royal Navy minehunter vessels to the Ukrainian Navy last month.
However, Turkey, a NATO member who backed to accept Sweden as a new member to the organization, communicated to its allies that it would not authorize the passage of these vessels through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits while the conflict in Ukraine persists, as per the presidency’s communications directorate.
A statement shared on the social media platform X clarified the stance: “Our relevant allies have been informed that, during the ongoing conflict, the mine-hunting ships donated by the United Kingdom to Ukraine will not be permitted to transit through the Turkish Straits to access the Black Sea.”
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Turkey invoked the 1936 Montreux Convention, effectively barring the passage of military ships belonging to the involved parties.
The convention includes provisions allowing ships returning to their home bases passage through the straits, yet neither Russia nor Ukraine have shown intentions to navigate their warships through the Turkish straits to reach the Black Sea since the conflict’s initiation.
At that time, Turkey also cautioned non-Black Sea nations against sending warships through these straits.
Under the Montreux Convention, warships belonging to non-belligerent nations are permitted passage through the straits during wartime. However, the convention grants Ankara the ultimate authority regarding the transit of all warships if Turkey perceives a risk of being drawn into a conflict.
The presidency affirmed Turkey’s impartial and meticulous adherence to the Montreux Convention as a means to prevent escalation in the Black Sea.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Ankara maintains amicable relations with both Kyiv and Moscow.
