As early as 1939, Joseph Stalin sought to reopen the Straits Question and proposed joint Turkish and Soviet control of the Straits, complaining that "a small state supported by Great Britain held a great state by the throat and gave it no outlet".
A partir de 1939, Stalin procurou reabrir a cuestión dos estreitos e propuxo un control conxunto turco-soviético, afirmando que "un Estado pequeno , apoiado polo Reino Unido, asfixiou a un grande Estado e non lle deu ningunha saída".