"Turkey Halts UK Minehunters Amidst Intensified Russian Missile Strikes in Ukraine"
Turkey has blocked two British minehunter ships from entering the Black Sea, invoking the Montreux Convention, despite the UK not being a belligerent in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This decision has raised questions about Turkey's interpretation of the convention and its diplomatic stance, as it conflates the convention's provisions with its own request for non-Black Sea navies to avoid the area during the conflict. The move reflects Turkey's strategic interests and its balancing act between NATO and Russia, amidst concerns about maritime safety in the Black Sea highlighted by a recent mine-striking incident involving a Panama-flagged bulk carrier.