Turkey disapproves of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s idea of setting up a NATO patrol mission in the Black Sea, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar was quoted as saying by Hurriyet.
According to him, “we are telling Bulgaria and Romania to act with restraint” on the issue.
According to the publication, the two new members of the alliance supported a similar mission to act restrain Russian actions in the Black Sea. But Hurriyet did not say what sources it based its conclusion on, as Bulgaria has reacted rather coolly to the idea in recent years.
“Turkey has long been trying to keep the Black Sea out of NATO’s influence so as not to complicate the situation between the alliance and Russia. When asked if there is currently a NATO warship in the Black Sea, Akar said no,” the paper said.
Ankara has closed the Straits to Russian or Ukrainian ships it considers parties to a military conflict under Article 19 of the Montreux Convention. But the entry of warships from third countries is not restricted. Hurriyet quoted Akar as saying that the continuation of the war would create “sensitive situations” if NATO entered the Black Sea.
“We have some suggestions for maintaining stability in the Black Sea: Don’t get too excited and don’t panic. This can cause panic in the other country. Misinformation can lead to misunderstandings. Let’s respect Ukraine’s borders and sovereignty, but on the other hand, not do something that would be perceived as a provocation by the other side, “said the former commander of the Turkish army in the period 2015-to 2018 and former commander of the country’s ground forces.
Third countries, especially NATO allies, better not want to send their ships to the Black Sea during the war so that it does not become a zone of opposition. “We want the balance not to be disturbed here and the principle of maintaining the situation in the region to be dominated by the countries with Black Sea coasts. If the balance deteriorates, events are very likely to spiral out of control. Do not turn the Black Sea into a competitive environment.” we say it quite openly, “said Akar.
Ankara is trying to maintain a specific position on Russia, including because of relations between the two countries in Syria, the Middle East, and the Caucasus. The country has not imposed sanctions, saying there is no UN decision and is trying to mediate between Kyiv and Moscow for a ceasefire.
Turkey says it is a loyal member of NATO and works for peace, but Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said last week that after the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, he was left with the impression that some allies in the alliance wanted the war to last longer. weakened Russia.
