Turkey keeps Black Sea passage open after ship attack fears
What's new: Ankara said civilian traffic through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles remains smooth despite temporary safety steps.
Turkey said ships are continuing to pass smoothly through the Turkish straits into the Black Sea despite rising safety concerns after attacks on vessels, including Turkish-owned ships. Two Turkish government officials said Ankara had taken temporary measures because of longstanding security worries, but passage remained clear under the Montreux Convention. Bloomberg had reported that Turkey restricted commercial traffic entering the Black Sea. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara told both Moscow and Kyiv they should agree to a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea to protect navigation. The 1936 convention gives Turkey control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles while guaranteeing civilian vessels free passage in peacetime.