Turkey Reaffirms Ban on Warships Passing Through Dardanelles and Bosphorus

Türkiye will not allow warships to pass through its straits, despite media reports of pressure from NATO countries seeking to expand military vessel access to the Black Sea, a source in the Turkish government told RIA Novosti.

In early August, Turkish newspapers reported that Ankara was under pressure from several member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to allow freer passage of warships through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits amid ongoing tensions in the Black Sea.

The issue of military vessel access has become increasingly urgent due to the situation surrounding the conflict in Ukraine and the risks threatening shipping, the newspaper reported.

“Warships are not permitted to pass through the Turkish straits. Ankara carefully monitors compliance with the Montreux Convention and does not allow any attempts to circumvent it. Türkiye continues to strictly adhere to its international obligations governing the passage of military vessels through these straits,” the source said.

The agreement mandates that Türkiye has the right and authority to open and close shipping access for vessels passing through the Bosphorus Strait.

Meanwhile, the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits are two narrow waterways in Türkiye that separate the European and Asian landmasses.

The two straits are connected through the Sea of Marmara and form a single vital sea route system called the Turkish Straits, linking the Black Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.

The Bosphorus Strait is located in the north, connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, and divides the city of Istanbul (formerly called Constantinople and Byzantium before the name Istanbul was officially adopted in 1930).

The Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits flank the Sea of Marmara in the middle.

Ships sailing from the Black Sea must pass through the Bosphorus Strait, then cross the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles Strait to reach the Mediterranean Sea.

Both straits are controlled under Turkish sovereignty and serve as a crucial international logistics and military route, particularly for access by ships from countries around the Black Sea to the open seas.