Two British minehunter ships destined for Ukraine cannot travel through Turkish waters, Ankara stressed Tuesday, citing an international pact.
U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced last month that Ukraine’s armed forces had struck a deal to procure the Sandown Class vessels from Britain’s Royal Navy as the war-torn country grapples with Russia’s continued blockade of the Black Sea.
But Turkey confirmed it had informed its NATO allies that the ships would not be allowed to travel through its waters.
The Montreux Convention has been around for just shy of 100 years. So this is news to nobody, additionally they have turned away Russian ships too. The convention clearly states that ships of war of belligerent powers cannot transit the bosphorus straits.
Best I can tell reading it if the British had kept them in their Navy. Sailed them into the Black Sea and then just randomly decided to give them to the Ukrainians that would have worked. Also they’re not very big ships I believe they could sail up the Rhine and down the Danube. There is a canal that connects those two rivers and it looks like the ships fit.
Ultimately though Ukrainians may not be able to effectively deploy them at the moment without having them destroyed. They do not have the naval capability to protect them. So it may be in their best interest to not have them in the Black Sea and till the war is over.
They can’t use Danube. There is no way they can pass through Hungary and Serbia.
That is a good point. I wonder what if any freedom of navigation treatise exists for the Danube. I am not sure if the Danube River Conference is still a thing or what it said on ships of war.
Still I think that ultimately they couldn’t be deployed until after hostilities cease.
Just tape a bunch of C-5 galaxys together and hang it underneath in a big net.
Yeet it into the black sea just off Odesa.
Turkey ass pieces of shit.
Turkey has long prevented warships from transiting the Bosporus Strait in wartime.
I wouldn’t want warships passing my capital city either.
They’re minesweepers. That’s like an unwarship.
I’m sure Russia considers it a military target and would have no compunction about targeting it with cruise missiles at it passes through a city with 15 million people.
Are you saying the Russians would target a boat filled with Brits in Turkey’s waters? Because that sounds like an Article 5 moment. Hell, even if Ukraine takes control of the boats in England, attacking them in Turkish waters is a terrible idea.
Turkey is not obligated to invite an attack by Russia, even if it would be suicidal.
This is just Turkey continuing a decades-old policy.
The “why do you make me hit you?” of war justifications.
That would be Russia’s fault, not the UK’s or Ukraine’s - and there is no end to the road of attempting Russian appeasement.
Ankara’s their capital, but you’re right to point out that this is nothing new.
The policy also ensures that no additional Russian warships get into the Black Sea.
Look up the Montreux Convention.
The Montreux Convention does not prevent ships from returning to their ports. Which is presumably exactly what ships they acquired are doing. Returning to their new port.
The fuck does “returning to new port” mean? You don’t fucking return to a new port. Stop trying to interpret even the agreements your ancestors put in place just because they don’t suit how dumb of a move you did today. Internstional agreements aren’t there to be imposed on others and lifted for you whenever you like.
As the other commenter said, there were and are alternatives. Should have utilized them. Turkey is keeping to the agreement, as it did when the matter was Russian warships last year. Were you crying for Russian warships then?
Ships have a home port, as defined by the owner of the ship. If a ship is sold, it would typically get a new home port, owned by the new owner.
All of Ukraine’s ports are in the Black Sea. Hence any ship owned by Ukraine not currently in the Black Sea is sailing back to port.
Why is that hard to understand?
Russia has several deep water ports outside of the Black Sea. It’s a slightly different ballgame, wouldn’t you agree?
One cannot “return” to a new “home”.
You can return to your old home, or move to a new one.
Really? If you buy a house, the closing happens at the bank, then you can’t return to your home?
Of course you can.
That would be returning to somewhere you have been before.
You cannot return to somewhere you have not been.
UK sends two ship after two years - good guys
Turkey sends hundereds of Bayraktars on day 1 - ass pieces of shit
Turkey’s balancing act to keep its Russian ties is very disappointing.
