A declaration from 103 retired Turkish admirals raising concerns about the future of the Montreux Convention is potentially “gift from God” to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to Turkey expert Steven Cook.

But did Erdogan’s gift have unintended consequences?

With rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the debate about the convention has exposed how Erdoğan is now in an awkward position between his NATO allies and Russia. Will he be quick to lose his luck?

Nervana Mahmoud interviews Turkey expert Steven Cook for Turkish Trends