Turkey closes the Bosphorus to warships from all countries

The Turkish government announced today that it is closing the Bosphorus Strait to the passage of military vessels from all countries, although ships based in the Black Sea, such as those from Russia or Ukraine, will still be allowed 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 no warships should pass through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu told reporters after a cabinet meeting, reports NTV.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had earlier warned of his government's readiness to implement its prerogative to close the passage between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea to prevent the war in Ukraine from "escalating".

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

Çavusoglu made clear that warships returning to their Black Sea bases will still be allowed to pass through.

The closure of the Bosporus 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 if Turkey were a party to the war in Ukraine, it could take any initiative, but that if it were 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 vessels of powers at war, except those returning to their port of registry.

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