Turkey closes the Bosphorus to warships from all countries

The Turkish government announced that it is closing the Bosphorus Strait to the passage of military ships from all countries, although those ships based in the Black Sea, such as those from Russia or Ukraine, will still be able to return to their ports, in application of the Montreux Convention.

“We have warned all countries, whether they border the Black Sea or not, that warships must not pass through the Bosporus and the DardanellesTurkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu said after finishing a cabinet session, NTV reports.

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had already warned shortly before about his government’s willingness to apply its prerogative to close the passage between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, to prevent the war in Ukraine “go to more”.

Bulgaria and Romania, NATO members, border the Black Sea, as do Ukraine and Russia, which has one of its fleets based here.

Çavusoglu clarified that the passage of warships returning to their bases in the Black Sea will continue to be allowed.

The closure of the Bosphorus may particularly affect Russia, which will no longer be able to send naval units from other areas to the Black Sea.

The minister stressed that Turkey, if it were part of the war in Ukraine, could take any initiative, but, since it is not, it has the authority to prevent the passage of ships from countries involved in the conflict.

He had already explained yesterday that Turkey was preparing to apply article 19 of the Montreux Convention, signed in 1936, which prohibits the passage of military ships of powers at war, except those that return to their port of registration.

For now, however, no request has been received from Russia or Ukraine for the passage of ships, nor has any passage been prevented, Çavusoglu clarified today.