President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that Turkey use the authority given by a pact on passage of its straits to prevent an escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Erdoğan reiterated that Turkey cannot abandon its ties with Ukraine and Russia, but stressed that he was “very saddened” by Moscow’s aggression on son neighbor to the south.
“Turkey is determined to use the authority conferred by the Montreux Convention on turkish strait in a way to prevent escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis,” Erdoğan said. in a press conference after a council of ministers in the capital Ankara.
Under the Montreux Convention of 1936, Turkey, a member of NATO, controls over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, connecting the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The pact gives Ankara the power settle transit of warships and to close the strait to foreign warships in time of war and when threatened.
Turkey on Sunday called Russia invasion a “war”, allowing him to invoke articles under the pact which could limit the passage of some Russian ships from son strait. Turkey shares a sea border with Ukraine and Russia and has good ties with both.
Erdoğan criticized what he called the “indecisive” stance of the United States and Western powers towards invading Ukraine, saying the approach was a sign of a failure international ordered.
He said Turkey would not compromise on its commitments to its alliances, including NATO, but could also Do not turn back on “national interests” in son region.
“Turkey will not compromise commitments into alliances, but will not turn back from Ukraine or Russia,” Erdoğan said.
He repeated that he found the Russian invasion “unacceptable,” also stressing that he admired Ukraine’s resistance.
“Turkey will overcome the Ukrainian-Russian crisis safely.”
