Black Sea Issue: US Must Seek Turkey’s Approval for Deploying Nuclear Submarines

According to the Montreux Convention, the United States is obliged to obtain Turkey’s consent before deploying nuclear submarines in the Black Sea, reports RIA Novosti and the pro-government Turkish newspaper Turkiye.

On August 1, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be dispatched to “appropriate regions.” He later clarified that these submarines, now closer to Russia, are operating within the regions permitted under international agreements.

International law expert Hakkı Hakan Erkinner pointed out that the Montreux Convention establishes a security regime that limits the entry of military ships into the Black Sea and restricts the duration of their stay there. Moreover, it does not sanction the permanent presence of nuclear submarines in the region.

“I do not believe Turkey will grant such permission,” the expert stated.

Since the commencement of Turkey’s special military operation in Ukraine, Ankara has invoked its rights under the Montreux Convention to block military vessels from passing through its straits. The Turkish Ministry of Defense has repeatedly affirmed that applying the provisions of the Montreux Convention is the correct decision, one that ensures stability in the straits.

Adopted in 1936, the Montreux Convention preserves the freedom of navigation for commercial ships through the straits during both peacetime and wartime but establishes different regulations for military vessels. It limits the stay of non-Black Sea military ships to three weeks. In emergencies, Turkey can prohibit or restrict military passage through the Bosporus and Dardanelles.

According to the treaty, Ankara also has the right to levy charges for lighthouse services, evacuation, and medical assistance for vessels passing through the straits.