Key NATO ally Türkiye recently acknowledged plans for the establishment of a multinational corps headquarters. Another rumored plan for an additional NATO force for the Black Sea sparked speculation, especially about the status of the Montreaux Convention.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said none would affect Türkiye’s stance on the convention, and they acted in accordance with the principle of regional ownership.
The ministry said recent reports regarding two issues stemmed from “mistakes on certain concepts and lack of knowledge.”
Responding to a question by journalists regarding NATO and non-NATO multinational naval headquarters and planned multinational corps headquarters in the southern city of Adana, the ministry said the naval headquarters was part of Türkiye’s basic strategy for the Black Sea.
“It is out of question to make concessions on the principle of regional ownership and the Montreaux Convention. Türkiye’s security approach on the Black Sea is based on the preservation of balance and stability provided by the Montreaux Convention, prioritizing littoral countries’ role in this regional ownership,” the ministry said.
The statement came one day after the Russian Embassy in Ankara posted a tweet about its support for Türkiye’s adherence to the convention, with an attached image of a news article about the signing of the convention in 1936.
Signed on July 20, 1936, at the Montreaux Palace in Switzerland, the convention gives Türkiye permission to remilitarize the Bosporus and Çanakkale Strait. It came into effect on Nov. 9, 1936, and was registered in the League of Nations Treaty Series on Dec. 11, 1936. It gives Türkiye control over the Bosporus and Çanakkale Strait and regulates the transit of naval warships. The convention guarantees free passage to civilian vessels in times of peace and restricts the passage of naval ships that do not belong to littoral Black Sea states.
The ministry noted that Türkiye’s stand on Montreaux ensured the Black Sea does not turn into a wider area of conflict.
“Throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Türkiye resolutely applied the convention and prevented the conflict from spilling over into the sea. Despite escalating geopolitical rivalries and security risks in the Black Sea, our country is committed to standing for preserving regional stability, de-escalation of tensions and assigning responsibility primarily to littoral countries for the security,” the statement said.
“Türkiye continues taking the initiative to prevent the Black Sea from turning into an area of competition and a leading role in maintaining regional security architecture,” the statement reiterated.
Türkiye recently hosted officials from the Coalition of Willing for Ukraine, and the ministry noted that the coalition, though multinational, was not linked to NATO. The statement said the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U) established by the coalition was planned to be commanded by an operational headquarters based in France.
"This force’s maritime command will be tasked with safeguarding security and stability, preserving the balance ensured by the Montreaux Convention. Our country will lead this command,” the ministry said, adding that the maritime command was composed entirely of Turkish personnel.
“Fourteen countries declared contribution to the Command, but only Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria will be contributors of maritime platforms,” the ministry underlined.
The ministry also rejected claims that Israel was the culprit in the crash of a Turkish C-130 plane on the Azerbaijan-Georgia border in November 2025 that killed 20 Turkish soldiers. Doğu Perinçek, chair of the Homeland Party (VP), voiced the allegation this week. The ministry said the allegations were baseless and “disinformation,” and they filed for legal proceedings against the claims. The ministry noted that the investigation into the crash was still underway and its results would be shared with the public once it is concluded.
On Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay also underlined that they were committed to the Montreaux Convention. Answering lawmakers' questions at Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Bozay said they were always grateful to the statesmen of the past for the convention.
"We implement every regulation without violating the convention," he said. Bozay said Türkiye sought to have full control over multinational headquarters and related matters. "You must be aware of developments in the Black Sea, detection of unmanned naval vehicles and incidents involving vessels. We are not pursuing an approach that would harm our security while remaining committed to our responsibilities stemming from being a NATO member," he underlined.
