Turkiye will use Montreux Convention to prevent escalation in Ukraine war

ANKARA

Turkiye will use its authority over the Turkish Straits under the 1936 Montreux Convention to prevent the Russia-Ukraine “crisis” from further escalating, said the nation’s president on Monday.

Under the convention, Turkiye can stop foreign warships from going through the Turkish Straits during a war.

"Turkiye has strictly fulfilled its responsibilities within the framework of the institutions and alliances with which it is involved, especially the UN, NATO, and the EU," added Recep Tayyip Erdogan after chairing a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara where he praised the struggle of Ukraine's government and people. He called Russia's attack on Ukraine unacceptable.

Erdogan also highlighted dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, saying: "It's never too late to engage in good faith negotiations and progress (on) all issues peacefully."

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began last Thursday, it has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Russia.

In the war, more than 350 civilians have been killed and over 1,600 injured, according to Ukraine’s Health Ministry.