America News Agency

Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar said in an interview with the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform, "Turkey contributed to Ukraine holding onto Odessa and Mykolaiv by closing the Bosphorus and Dardanelles to military ships in 2022."

Bodnar explained that Ankara's decision to close the straits to Russian military ships deprived the Kremlin of its maritime advantage.

According to Bodnar, this helped Kyiv retain control over these strategically important cities in the south of the country.

Turkey decided to close the straits under the 1936 Montreux Convention, which gives it the right to restrict the passage of warships in case of a threat to regional security.