Turkey says cannot stop Russian warships accessing Black Sea

[Sherman A1]

The Turkish foreign minister has said Turkey cannot stop Russian warships accessing the Black Sea via its straits, as Ukraine has requested, due to a clause in an international pact.

Ukraine has appealed to Turkey to block Russian warships from passing through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus Straits which lead to the Black Sea, after Moscow on Thursday launched a full-blown assault on Ukraine from land, air and sea.

Russian forces landed at Ukraine’s Black and Azov Sea ports as part of the invasion.

Turkey has control over the straits under the 1936 Montreux Convention, and can limit the passage of warships during wartime or if threatened. However, the request has put the NATO member in a difficult position as it tries to manage its Western commitments and close ties with Russia.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/25/cannot-stop-russian-warships-returning-in-black-sea-turkey

[Miguelito Loveless]

1. So, Turkey has sided with Russia

[texasfiddler]

2. "Cannot stop" is not the correct wording. "Will not stop" is more accurate. NT

[PoliticAverse]

3. In 2008 Turkey refused to let US warships pass. n/t

[AllaN01Bear]

4. wont.

[Ghost Dog]

5. Under the terms of the Montreux Convention,

Turkey, even in wartime, must let warships of other Black Sea nations pass, in a controlled fashion.

[Sherman A1]

6. Yup, but there seem to be some folks who have differing opinions on

their interpretation of the Montreaux Convention.

[Karadeniz]

7. Maybe some Turkish sanctions... I detest Erdogan.