LONDON — Two British minehunter ships destined for Ukraine can’t journey by Turkish waters, Ankara confused Tuesday, citing a world pact.
U.Okay. Protection Secretary Grant Shapps introduced final month that Ukraine’s armed forces had struck a deal to obtain the Sandown Class vessels from Britain’s Royal Navy because the war-torn nation grapples with Russia’s continued blockade of the Black Sea.
However Turkey confirmed it had knowledgeable its NATO allies that the ships wouldn’t be allowed to journey by its waters.
”Our pertinent allies have been duly apprised that the mine-hunting ships donated to Ukraine by the UK won’t be allowed to move by the Turkish Straits to the Black Sea so long as the conflict continues,” a assertion from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s communications directorate stated.
The Turkish assertion — difficult what it referred to as ”disinformation about U.Okay. mine-hunting ships” — confused that the Turkish Straits are closed to Russian and Ukrainian warships whereas the battle between the 2 nations continues, citing the Montreux Conference of 1936 which governs maritime site visitors by these waters.
The U.Okay. authorities had earlier indicated it anticipated the conference to forestall the instant switch of the ships.
Approached for remark, a U.Okay. Ministry of Protection spokesperson pointed to a press convention by Shapps in London final month at which Ukrainian Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa stated the vessels couldn’t but be dropped at the Black Sea due to the pact.
However Neizhpapa additionally famous the ships would nonetheless have numerous work to do as soon as the Russia-Ukraine conflict ends given the continuing menace of mines within the Black Sea.