Turkey evaluates Ukraine’s request for closure of Turkish straits
Ankara "will to use its discretion in favor of peace,” a top ruling party official said on Ukraine's call for the Russian navy to be barred from passing into the Black Sea and for sanctions on Moscow.
ISTANBUL — Turkey says it is evaluating Ukraine’s request for the closure of the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to Russian naval vessels following Russia's multi-pronged assault on the country.
Spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party Omer Celik said Tuesday that Turkey has “assessed all the scenarios that would come out of the Montreux Convention,” in reference to a crucial treaty that asserts Turkey’s control of the straits linking the Mediterranean to the Black Sea and that it “will use its discretion in favor of peace instead of deepening the conflict.”
“Preparations both legally and diplomatically have been concluded. We will continue to follow the process. We certainly don’t want tensions to escalate further,” Celik said without elaborating.
The government has also assessed the conflict’s possible adverse impact on Turkey, Celik added. The Russian invasion has already taken a toll on the already staggering Turkish economy with the lira dropping more than 5% against the greenback.
