Ukraine calls on the world not to allow Russia to be elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). A country that attacks ports, merchant ships, and kills sailors should have no involvement in shaping global maritime safety standards. This was emphasized during the opening of the 34th IMO Assembly by Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Oleksiy Kuleba, UNN reports.
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The 34th session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization has begun in London. Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Oleksiy Kuleba took part in the opening online and presented Ukraine's position on threats to international maritime security.
On November 28, member states of the International Maritime Organization will vote for the composition of the Council — the body that shapes global maritime security policy. Kuleba called on IMO member states not to allow Russia to be elected to the Organization's Council.
Russia attacks ports, merchant ships, and navigation systems. It deliberately turns the Black and Azov Seas into terror zones. Ukrainian sailors continue to work under constant threats, and the state does everything to maintain safe navigation. I call on IMO member states not to support Russia's candidacy for the Council. A country that kills sailors and destroys infrastructure cannot adopt global maritime safety standards.
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Kuleba cited specific facts of Russian attacks: the shelling of the Chornomorsk port with the death of Ukrainian sailors, the destruction of the Ingulsky dredging vessel in the Izmail port, the arson of a gas tanker under the Turkish flag, the destruction of shipbuilding infrastructure in Kiliya, and the blocking of foreign vessels in the Mykolaiv region. He also recalled the consequences of the Kakhovka dam explosion, which made river communication with the sea impossible.
Ukraine emphasized the importance of a responsible approach to the elections of the IMO Council. This is a key body that determines international standards for safety at sea and coordinates the work of member states in the field of navigation rules, environmental requirements, and the protection of human life at sea.
The election of Russia to the Council will be a signal of impunity for a state that deliberately destroys the principles of freedom of navigation. The IMO Council forms global norms and standards in the field of maritime security, and trust in this body must remain unconditional.
It should be recalled that in 2023, at the 33rd IMO Assembly, Russia did not join the Council for the first time due to aggression against Ukraine and systemic violations of maritime law.