On the developments concerning Russian aggression towards Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait, off the Crimean peninsula illegally annexed by Russia, Rebecca Harms , Member of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments:
"It has long been apparent that Russia's gunboat diplomacy in the Sea of Azov could lead to military escalation. The EU and the international community must urgently take measures to defuse this highly dangerous situation and pressure the Kremlin to immediately release all Ukrainian personnel and return the captured Ukrainian ships.
The blockade of Ukrainian ports and the militarization of the Black Sea region by Russia is directed against the interests and security of the entire Black Sea region. Therefore, the NATO-Russia Council should meet immediately and NATO countries must furthermore clarify their presence in the region. The mandate of the OSCE observer mission should also be exercised in the Sea of Azov. The EU and the Member States must be prepared to react to the breach of international law with targeted, tough sanctions and to support and protect Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity, including in the Sea of Azov. Against this background I once again call on the German Government to immediately abandon the Nordstream2 project."
In its resolution on the situation in the Sea of Azov of 24 October 2018, , the European Parliament supports once more the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, confirms Ukraine's sovereignty over the Crimean peninsula and calls for de-escalation.
