On 18 July 2018 the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in ARC Borys Babin and the First Deputy Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Juriy Lavrynjuk held a regular meeting regarding the threats to national interests of Ukraine in navigation in the Azov and Black Seas and the Kerch Straight under the escalation of the Russian aggression.

The meeting brought together the senior officials of the Departments of legal analysis and international connections of the Mission, representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine,  State Service of Ukraine for Transport Safety, State Administration of Sea Ports of Ukraine, Sea Search and Rescue Service, Fund “Maidan of Foreign Affairs” and others.

The discussion was focused on the evidentiary basis and legal position of Ukraine regarding the violations of the Law of the Sea by the state-aggressor, including other measures to be undertaken to prevent the illegal restriction of navigation and fishery in the adjacent seawaters to Crimea.

Boris Babin noted the urgent need to improve the activity of the law enforcement bodies and other institutions to respond to the illegal interference into the navigation in the seawaters adjacent to Crimea by the authorities of the state-aggressor. He discussed the interaction between the authorized bodies of Ukraine and IMO, MOT, European Agency on Maritime Security, the maritime administrations of foreign states. Due regard was given to the algorithm of collaboration with Maritime Administration of Flags of convenience which are not the authorized bodies of the relevant countries.

The meeting resulted on the range of proposals to be elaborated and submitted to the authorities within their competence.