Guardian of the straits, Turkey recognizes the "state of war" between Russia and Ukraine

Turkey officially recognized on Sunday "the state of war" between Russia and Ukraine.

Here, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

(Illustrative image) AFP - ALEJANDRO PAGNI

Text by: RFI Follow

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Turkey officially recognized this Sunday, February 27 "the state of war" between Russia and Ukraine.

This recognition authorizes it, under the Montreux Convention, to limit the access of belligerents to the straits which open towards the Black Sea.

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From our correspondent in Istanbul

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Since the start of the Russian aggression, Ukraine has called on Turkey to close the Dardanelles Strait and the Bosphorus Strait to Russian ships.

While supporting Kiev, Turkey has so far shown itself to be particularly careful not to anger Moscow.

The Montreux Convention of 1936 is clear: in time of war, the ships of the belligerent powers are prohibited from circulating in the straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, which allow the passage from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea, and vice versa.

And it is Turkey that controls these strategic routes.

The Montreux Convention determines the exercise of free movement in the Turkish straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus as well as in the Black Sea.

It is a text that enshrines 2 fundamental principles

Freedom of movement

Turkish sovereignty over the Straits pic.twitter.com/aqDIFrZvym

— Ludovic de Foucaud (@ludovicdf) February 27, 2022

By recognizing the existence of a "state of war" between Russia and Ukraine, which it had not done so far, Turkey therefore declares itself legitimate to prevent Russian warships from accessing to the Black Sea.

An exception is included in the convention: if these ships return to their home port, in which case they have the right to cross the straits.

But for the rest, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs said that Ankara was going to " 

 ".

In the short term, such a measure would not significantly reduce the strike force of Russia, which had already reinforced its fleet in the Black Sea before attacking Ukraine.

Symbolically, however, it would be the first time since the start of the war that Ankara has acted against Moscow, while Turkey, for example, refuses sanctions.

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