A new strategy for maritime security: Ukraine initiates creation of international platform “Safe Black Sea”
Kyiv • UNN
President Zelenskyy signed a decree on a new maritime security strategy for Ukraine. It provides for the creation of an international platform 'Safe Black Sea' and the conclusion of agreements on security guarantees in the Azov-Black Sea basin.
The new Maritime Security Strategy of Ukraine, signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, envisages the creation of an international platform "Secure Black Sea" with the involvement of the Black Sea states (except Russia), the Mediterranean states and the Global South. It provides for the conclusion of agreements with states on providing Ukraine with security guarantees in the Azov-Black Sea basin. UNN reports this with reference to a documentpublished on the President's website on the evening of July 17.
According to the document, the Maritime Security Strategy of Ukraine defines, in particular, the following tasks:
- creation of an international platform “Secure Black Sea” with the involvement of the states of the Black Sea region (except Russia), the Mediterranean states, the Global South and other states facing economic and food challenges as a result of Russia's obstruction of freedom of navigation in the Azov-Black Sea basin;
- conclude bilateral and multilateral agreements with the states of the Black Sea region (except for Russia) and other interested states on providing Ukraine with security guarantees, including mechanisms for guaranteeing security in the Azov-Black Sea basin;
- building up the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to deter and repel armed aggression against Ukraine from the sea and river areas;
- providing air and missile defense of seaports and merchant shipping on sea communications;
- to build up the capabilities of the security and defense forces by equipping them with maritime unmanned vehicles of various classes and maritime unmanned aerial vehicles;
- establishment or participation in the establishment of shipbuilding, shipbuilding enterprises in Ukraine and other partner states;
- creating conditions for a temporary international military (naval) presence on the territory of the Crimean peninsula after its de-occupation;
- development of cooperation with international partners within the framework of the Maritime Security Capabilities Coalition, led by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Kingdom of Norway, to strengthen and develop the capabilities of the Navy;
- creation of a “mine action coalition” with the participation of NATO member states, which will demine the region, including Ukrainian sea areas and rivers, in the post-war period under the auspices of NATO and the EU;
- Conducting an operation to clear mines laid by the Russian Federation in Ukrainian maritime spaces, rivers and ports;
- organization of joint or coordinated security missions (maritime patrols) in the Azov-Black Sea basin with partner states;
- strengthening international cooperation and coordination in the field of maritime security, development of new international instruments, mechanisms and systems of security assurance at the regional and global levels that will help eliminate threats and increase the level of maritime security of Ukraine, the Black Sea region, the Mediterranean and the world, creation of a new black sea naval formation of partner states with the participation of Ukraine, in particular to prevent threats from Russia;
It also provides for the withdrawal of the Ukrainian side from international treaties concluded with the Russian Federation, expanding the geography of economic partnership in the maritime sector, and obtaining and creating the latest maritime technologies.
It is noted that the implementation of the Maritime Security Strategy of Ukraine will be ensured at the expense of the state budget and other sources not prohibited by the legislation of Ukraine, including foreign investment.
The Presidential Decree comes into force on July 17, the day of its publication.
Control over the implementation of the decision enacted by this decree is vested in the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
