Turkey Blocks 2 Ships Donated by UK to Ukraine From Traveling Through Turkish Straits

Turkey will not allow two minehunter ships donated by the United Kingdom to Ukraine to travel through its waters on their way to the Black Sea, the Turkish presidency’s communications directorate announced on Tuesday.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the office said the ships “will not be allowed to pass through the Turkish straits to the Black Sea as long as the [Russia-Ukraine] war continues.”

Last month, the UK said it would transfer two Royal Navy minehunter ships to the Ukrainian navy to help strengthen Ukraine in its war with Russia. The two countries have been at war since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The Turkish straits to which the statement refers are the Dardanelles Strait, which leads from the Mediterranean Sea into the Sea of Marmara, and the Bosporus Strait, which leads from the Sea of Marmara into the Black Sea.

Turkey, a member of the NATO military alliance, said that allowing the vessels to travel through its waters would violate the 1936 Montreux Convention, which effectively blocks military ships of parties at war from passing through the two straits, except for those returning to home bases.

When the Russia-Ukraine war began, Turkey announced that it would implement the convention, and blocked several Russian warships from entering the straits as their bases were not in the Black Sea. It also warned other countries not to send warships through the straits. The convention allows Turkey to have the final say on the passage of all warships if it considers itself in danger of being drawn into a war.

Turkey has implemented the convention impartially and meticulously to prevent escalation in the Black Sea, the directorate said.

Turkey has been careful to maintain relations with both Russia and Ukraine during their war.