Turkey cannot stop Russian warships accessing the Black Sea via its straits, as Ukraine has requested, due to a clause in an international pact that allows vessels to return to their home base, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday.
Ukraine has appealed to Turkey to block Russian warships from passing through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits.
The minister said Turkey, not being belligerent, can take “some measures regarding the countries that are parties to the war.”
“Turkey can stop the passage of warships through the straits. However, there is something special in the Montreux Convention. If there is a request for the ships of the warring countries to return to their bases, then they must be allowed.”
“Turkey is transparently following all clauses of the Montreux treaty with determination. This has been the case until today and Turkey will continue to strictly abide by the clauses of this treaty,” Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop affirmed.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan later said that reaction from NATO and Western countries to Russia's assault had not been decisive.
"It should not turn into an ordinary flurry of condemnation. NATO should have taken a more decisive step," Erdogan said Friday.
"The EU and all Western mentalities did not show a seriously determined stance, they are all constantly advising Ukraine. It is not possible to get anywhere with advice. When you look at the steps taken, there are no steps taken."
Erdogan and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed Thursday Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in a phone call, a statement said.
Erdogan and Macron discussed the intervention and the latest developments, the Turkish Communications Directorate said.
The Turkish President hosted Thursday a large delegation from the Union of International Democrats (UID).
Erdogan said Russia is violating international law and that a solution must be found within the framework of the Minsk agreements.
In a related context, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Thursday over the phone with the Turkish Foreign Minister.
Blinken strongly condemned Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine.
Blinken thanked Turkey for its strong and vocal support in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Secretary further emphasized that Russia’s destructive actions will reverberate throughout Europe and the broader world.
Moreover, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar held a phone call with his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Thursday to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
Akar also held a telephone conversation with Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov.
