Implementation of Montreux Convention helped prevent Russia-Ukraine war from spreading: Turkish defense minister

By Dzhanan Mehmed Ismail and Lejla Biogradlija Aksan

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AA) - Türkiye has strictly implemented the requirements of the Montreux Convention since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, preventing the conflict from spreading to a wider region and keeping its impact on the Black Sea to a minimum, the Turkish national defense minister said Wednesday.

Yasar Guler attended a meeting of the defense ministers and chiefs of general staff of Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania in Sofia, alongside Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu.

Speaking at a joint news conference following the meeting, Guler stressed that Türkiye had maintained its clear support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity since the first day of the Russia-Ukraine war.

He said Türkiye had also sought to prevent regional crises from escalating by keeping channels of dialogue with Russia open.

The nearly five-year-long Russia-Ukraine war has had significant repercussions for Black Sea security, Guler said, noting that many commercial vessels had been attacked by the parties and that drifting mines, out-of-control, or struck unmanned surface vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as missile fragments, had been destroyed.

Guler said frequent attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea were a source of concern and that Türkiye had urged the parties to exercise restraint in line with the principle of freedom of navigation in international waters.

"Indeed, we learned today that another commercial vessel was struck by three drones in Bulgaria's maritime jurisdiction. I believe it would be useful to warn both parties to exercise greater caution," he said.

Guler said Türkiye reserved all its legal rights in response to attacks on Turkish-flagged and Turkish-operated vessels and was closely monitoring developments.

"As countries in the region, we have no shortage of capabilities when it comes to the measures that can be taken. The Turkish Armed Forces, as well as the armed forces of Romania and Bulgaria, possess the capabilities required for all kinds of measures," he said.

"However, it is important that we also take timing and the current circumstances into account. Therefore, it is important to make rational decisions at the tactical and strategic levels through sensitive diplomacy, while avoiding approaches that could increase tensions and risks in the region," he added.

- Türkiye to continue efforts for peace and stability in region

Guler said Türkiye, which has the longest coastline on the Black Sea, considers maintaining stability and security in the region essential.

"As Türkiye, we have strictly fulfilled the requirements of the Montreux Convention regarding Black Sea security since the beginning of the war. In this way, we prevented the war from spreading to a wider region and managed to keep its impact on the Black Sea to a minimum," he said.

He added that Türkiye was also conducting mine countermeasures operations using its naval and naval aviation assets to address the mine threat stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war and help maintain navigational safety.

Guler recalled that the three Black Sea littoral countries had established the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, known as MCM Black Sea, on the basis of regional ownership to address the mine threat.

He said other countries could also contribute without deploying vessels, in line with an agreement among MCM Black Sea task group members.

Guler stressed that alongside the risks posed by drifting mines, protecting critical underwater infrastructure was also important.

"In this context, we signed amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding on July 7 on the sidelines of the NATO Summit," he said.

He added that Türkiye had demonstrated its commitment to regional cooperation by assuming leadership of the Maritime Component Command under the Ukraine Volunteer Coalition.

"In short, Türkiye consistently contributes to strengthening peace and stability in the region and will continue its work and efforts in this regard," Guler said.

- 'We have clearly demonstrated our firm stance on Black Sea security'

Guler noted that another critical issue was the targeting of civilian commercial vessels in the Black Sea.

"First and foremost, Türkiye continues its contacts through all channels to create opportunities for dialogue between Russia and Ukraine in order to protect maritime trade routes and ensure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea," he said.

"Both sides are continuously being warned that commercial navigation must be kept outside the conflict zone and that attacks on civilian vessels must stop immediately," he added.

Guler said the unified and resolute stance demonstrated Wednesday in full coordination and solidarity with Türkiye's friends and allies Bulgaria and Romania was important in clearly reminding both warring parties that the security of commercial routes in the Black Sea and of littoral countries was an inviolable red line.

He said the three countries had taken important joint measures to prevent the ongoing war from affecting their security and the well-being of their citizens, while ensuring the continued safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

"I would like to state that, from now on, we will take all additional measures necessary to contribute to navigational safety in the Black Sea, in line with the principle of regional ownership and using the capabilities at our disposal," he said.

"Indeed, through the joint text we agreed on as a result of the consultations held here today, we have once again clearly demonstrated our firm stance on Black Sea security," Guler added.

Dzhanan Mehmed Ismail,Lejla Bıogradlıja Aksan