Isolation deepens: Russia fails to secure a seat on the Council of the International Maritime Organization
Kyiv • UNN
Member states of the International Maritime Organization did not support Russia, which failed to secure a seat on the IMO Council. For several months, Ukraine had been explaining to its partners the true picture of Russian attacks on ports and civilian vessels.
Today, member states of the International Maritime Organization supported Ukraine's position - Russia did not get a seat on the IMO Council. Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba emphasized that "this is an important step that protects international maritime security and confirms trust in global navigation rules," UNN reports.
Details
Kuleba noted that for several months, Ukraine has been systematically explaining the real picture to its partners. Russian strikes on ports and civilian vessels continue daily. The aggressor destroys infrastructure, shells merchant ships, creates dangers for sailors, mines water areas, and blocks ships under foreign flags. During the full-scale war, 162 sailors and port workers were injured. 131 civilian vessels were damaged or destroyed. The undermining of the Kakhovka dam cut off internal waterways from access to the sea, and the Mykolaiv region experienced a complete blockade of about forty foreign vessels.
The Ukrainian maritime industry operates even under these conditions. Our maritime corridor has ensured the export of over 160 million tons of cargo, including 94 million tons of grain to 55 countries. Ukrainian sailors continue their work around the world and support global trade.
According to him, in parallel, Russia is forming a shadow fleet and withdrawing ships from international rules. Such ships pose a threat to other participants in traffic and pollute the environment.
Ukraine consistently emphasized that only a responsible member of the international community can influence the formation of global maritime safety standards. The IMO Council determines navigation norms, environmental requirements, and the format for protecting human life at sea. Its authority must remain unchanged.
Today's decision by partners preserved trust in the IMO. Ukraine will continue to work to ensure that maritime security remains a priority for all states that ensure free and safe navigation. Thank you to every country that voted against. Thank you to the Ukrainian team for their work.
Let's add
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reacted to the decision of the member states of the International Maritime Organization.
This is another defeat for the Russian Federation in the elections to the governing bodies of international organizations, after failures in UNESCO and the OPCW, and at the same time clear evidence of its increasingly deep international isolation.