Turkey will not allow two UK minehunter ships provided to Ukraine to enter Black Sea

On January 2, Turkey said it would not allow two British minehunter ships to transit its waters to the Black Sea for use by Ukraine, as this would violate an international pact on the passage of straits in wartime

Reuters reported the information.

According to the Turkish presidential communications office, the NATO member state will not allow ships to use the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits as long as the war in Ukraine continues.

When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Turkey invoked the 1936 Montreux Convention, effectively blocking the passage of warships for both sides. The pact exempts ships returning to their home bases.

According to the president, Turkey impartially and thoroughly implements the Montreux Convention to prevent escalation in the Black Sea.

• On December 11, the UK and Norway led a new Maritime Capability Coalition to help Ukraine. In addition, a statement from the British Ministry of Defence says that the new coalition will provide Ukraine with minesweepers, special purpose warships whose main task is to search for, detect and destroy sea mines.