Zelensky asks Turkey to block Russian warships entering Black Sea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Turkey to block Russian warships from traversing the Dardanelles or Bosphorus straits, which link the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

“I thank my friend [President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] and the people of [Turkey] for their strong support. The ban on the passage of [Russian] warships to the Black Sea and significant military and humanitarian support for [Ukraine] are extremely important today. The people of  [Ukraine] will never forget that!” Zelensky writes on Twitter.

A senior Turkish official tells the Middle East Eye news site that “Turkey hasn’t made a decision to close the straits to Russian ships yet.”

The Kremlin has a key naval base in Syria, and recently held large naval drills in the Mediterranean and Gulf of Oman.

I thank my friend Mr. President of ???????? @RTErdogan and the people of ???????? for their strong support. The ban on the passage of ???????? warships to the Black Sea and significant military and humanitarian support for ???????? are extremely important today. The people of ???????? will never forget that!

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022