Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar commented on allegations of opening the Turkish straits to US Navy ships in order to locate and remove the wreckage of an MQ-9 drone that crashed in the Black Sea, Report informs via Anadolu.
"We are closely monitoring the issue. There are various contacts, including between structures in Türkiye itself. We are trying to find a reasonable and logical solution with partners from the United States. We are in favor of a peaceful way out of the situation," he said.
Asked whether Ankara would allow the passage of US military vessels to the Black Sea, Akar said: "The Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry continue to work in close contact, also interacting with the Presidential Administration. The next steps will become clear shortly," Akar said.
Meanwhile, John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the White House National Security Council, told CNN that he was unsure whether the United States could get the UAV wreckage from the Black Sea bottom.
On March 14, a Russian fighter crashed into an American UAV over the Black Sea.