Türkiye’s Bosphorus closure thwarted Russian naval moves, says Ukraine envoy

Türkiye’s decision to close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits under the Montreux Convention was a pivotal factor in preventing Russia from leveraging its naval advantage to capture key Ukrainian territories, including Odesa and Mykolaiv, according to Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye Vasyl Bodnar.

In an interview with Ukrania’s state news agency Ukrinform on Sunday, Bodnar emphasized the importance of Türkiye’s actions in the defense of Ukraine, highlighting how the strait closures hampered Russian naval operations after the sinking of the Moskva warship.

“One of the key stages of Ukraine’s defense was the closure of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits by Türkiye. We sank one Moskva, and two more Russian cruisers were waiting in the Mediterranean Sea,” he said.

“And the fact that Türkiye closed the straits, I think, did not allow Russia to use its superiority at sea to seize Odesa, Mykolaiv and other territories that, according to Moscow’s plans, were to be occupied as a result of operations from the sea,” the ambassador emphasized.

Türkiye maintains its position on ending the war

“I could name many more less visible but equally important instances,” Bodnar said, adding, “However, the main point is that Türkiye remains steadfast as a strategic partner, maintaining its political stance on ending the war based on Ukraine’s territorial integrity.”

“The fact that, despite all the vicissitudes of the war and attempts at mediation, Türkiye adheres to the position that it is unacceptable for Crimea to be under Russian occupation,” he added.

Türkiye’s role as transport hub

The ambassador also underscored Türkiye’s significance as a transportation hub for Ukraine.

He pointed out that the transport visa-free regime between the two countries has allowed Ukrainian companies to move essential goods from Turkish and other ports more efficiently, without the need for licenses or permits, a notable improvement over previous delays caused by transport restrictions.

Emphasizing that important element of Ukraine’s stability was the signing of “grain corridor” agreement, the ambassador pointed out, “Türkiye was directly involved in the process, and the export of 33 million tons of grain from Ukraine not only strengthened our resilience and weight in the international arena, but also allowed Ukrainian business to look to the future, carry out sowing and harvesting.”