In mid-February, Russia moved numerous warships across the Bosphorus Straits to the Black Sea. (Photo: Can Merey/dpa)
The Turkish president did not tell Zelensky that Turkey has closed or will close the straits to the Black Sea to Russian warships, a Turkish official with direct knowledge of the situation said. Turkey is still evaluating the issue of the straits on the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. Selenski’s statements “only reflect his expectations,” said the official of the German Press Agency on Saturday.
Turkey denies blocking the Bosphorus passage in the Ukraine war
After a conversation with Erdogan on Saturday, Selenski wrote on Twitter that he thanked him for his support. “The ban on the passage of Russian warships to the Black Sea and the significant military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine are of paramount importance today. Ukrainians will never forget that!” tweeted the Ukrainian President.
Turkey has sovereignty over the straits connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. Passage rights are governed by the 1936 Treaty of Montreux. In times of war, Ankara alone can decide on the closure. “The treaty obliges Turkey to close the straits if there is a war in the Black Sea and Turkey is not involved,” said Sinan Ülgen, chairman of Turkey’s Edam Center for Economics and Foreign Policy.
Russian ships might go through the strait despite the ban on the Bosphorus
However, another passage stipulates that ships from the Black Sea fleets may still return to their home ports in the event of war. Russia would then probably make use of this, according to Ülgen.
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>>Read more: Why is Russia attacking Ukraine? The chronology of events
The background to the Ukrainian request to blockade the Straits is likely to be an attempt to prevent Russia from bringing more warships into the Black Sea. In the past few weeks, Moscow has already brought numerous warships across the Straits into the Black Sea – in advance of a military maneuver in mid-February.
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