Turkey restricted the passage of warships through the Turkish Straits at the beginning of the war between Ukraine and Russia by implementing the Montreux Convention, and no warship has passed through the straits since then, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Wednesday.
Stating that they held the defense and security consultation meeting for Ukraine with representatives of more than 40 countries, Akar noted that they exchanged views with some names, especially Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
Turkey has been closely following the developments in Ukraine, Akar said. "We are following the developments with concern. According to the news received, there are some troublesome situations. Like all countries, we are making various efforts to eliminate them. Generally speaking, dialogue and a restrained approach are important. We need to open the way for diplomacy with a moderate approach. Thus, we consider that more peaceful solutions can be found."
Akar stated that they had the opportunity to share Turkey's perspective on events once again at the meeting and added: "As Turkey, our president (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) has had an attitude that we have put forward at the ministerial level from the very beginning. At the beginning of the crisis, we carried out very serious and comprehensive studies to prevent war and to ensure a cease-fire as soon as possible after the war broke out. Russian and Ukrainian ministers were brought together at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Then there are the meetings that our president had many times with Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelenskyy. In these meetings, our president is making an effort to come to the table so that the cease-fire can be reached as soon as possible."
"Although there are some difficulties, we are hopeful, with the proposals of our president, perhaps it will be possible for the two leaders to come together in the coming days. As Turkey, we continue to contribute to whatever needs to be done, including mediation, so that the humanitarian situation that is getting worse and worse is not further worsened and a cease-fire is reached as soon as possible."
The positive momentum achieved in the Istanbul talks should be maintained, President Erdoğan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a phone call Tuesday in which they discussed the recent developments in Ukraine.
In the phone call with his Russian counterpart, Erdoğan reiterated Ankara’s willingness to keep doing its part for lasting peace with Ukraine, and urged an Istanbul meeting between Putin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Erdoğan told Putin that continuing the positive momentum achieved in last month’s Istanbul talks toward peace between Russia and Ukraine would benefit all sides, according to a statement by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications. During the call, Erdoğan stressed the importance of ensuring a cease-fire, operating humanitarian corridors and safely carrying out evacuations, the statement said.
Erdoğan also spoke with Zelenskyy on Sunday. The Ukrainian president noted that the likelihood of further peace talks with Russia in Turkey depends on his Russian counterpart Putin, but added that Kyiv wants substantive talks to happen. Erdoğan also reiterated support for the negotiation process in the Russia-Ukraine war and said Turkey would welcome a guarantor position.
Turkey is one of the most active countries working to ensure a permanent cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. Its delicately balanced act of assuming a role as a mediator by keeping communication channels with both warring sides open provides a glimmer of hope in diplomatic efforts to find a solution and achieve peace in the Ukraine crisis. With its unique position of having friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Turkey has won widespread praise for its push to end the war.
Since the beginning of the conflict, Ankara has offered to mediate between the two sides and host peace talks, underlining its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed its straits to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing through them.
In a breakthrough, Russian and Ukrainian delegations met for peace talks in Istanbul on March 29 as the war entered its second month with casualties piling up on both sides.
During the talks, Ukrainian officials signaled readiness to negotiate a "neutral status," a key Russian demand, but demanded security guarantees for their country. Ukraine wants to see countries, including Turkey, as guarantors in a deal with Russia, a Ukrainian negotiator said after the talks. Russia, meanwhile, pledged to significantly decrease its military activities focusing on the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv to build trust for future negotiations.
Turkey also hosted the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in Antalya last month.
Stating that the evacuation of civilians from Ukraine is very important, Akar said: "Our work continues. We continue to support the evacuation of other civilians along with the few remaining citizens, including sea transportation."
Regarding the Turkish commercial vessels waiting at the Ukrainian ports, Akar said, "We are continuing our contacts with both the Russian and Ukrainian authorities regarding their safe departure from Ukraine."
Explaining that Turkey started humanitarian aid within the framework of Ukraine's needs from the very beginning, Akar noted that they will continue to do their best to maintain this.
On the question of whether a possible cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia was on the agenda at the meeting in Ramstein, Akar replied: "We, as Turkey, state that the cease-fire is important within the framework drawn by our president. We are aware of the worsening of the humanitarian situation within the scope of incoming reports and information in the field. We see that at least a humanitarian cease-fire is important for the people of the region so that the situation does not worsen."
Stability in Black Sea
Akar also touched upon the war's impact on the Black Sea region. He stated that Turkey shared its concerns over the stability in the Black Sea and continues to act with principles in order to ensure peace, tranquility and stability in the region.
"After the Ukraine-Russia War broke out, we conveyed to all parties that there should be no warships crossing the Bosporus within the framework of Montreux. So far, there has been no passage through the Bosporus. Therefore, we clearly and unequivocally demanded that all parties comply with Montreux in terms of maintaining peace and stability in the region. We have seen that the relevant countries also comply with them. The principle of territorial ownership should be used. Thus, stability must be ensured."
"The Black Sea should not turn into an area of strategic competition. Otherwise, it may have some very serious repercussions. Whatever the purpose is, a move or a precaution to be taken may cause misunderstandings. Misperception can also lead to a rapid escalation and increase in tension. We told all parties that this should not be allowed," he added.
Under the 1936 Montreux Convention, NATO member Turkey controls the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, linking the Mediterranean and Black seas. The pact gives Ankara the power to regulate the transit of naval warships and to close the straits to foreign warships during wartime and when it is threatened.