Ukrainian President: EU will allocate 50 million euros to maintain Azov coast security
President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, announced during the Regional Development Council in Odessa that the European Union’s special project to support the Azov coast security in the face of Russian aggression foresees allocation of 50 million euros to Ukraine, reports Ukrinform.
“A special 50 million euros project is directed to the Azov coast to support Mariupol and Berdyansk, as well as the Black Sea coast. This, unfortunately, is due to the Russian aggression in the neutral waters of the Black Sea,” said Poroshenko.
According to media, Poroshenko also noted that by continuing European integration, Ukraine will have more European projects "not only in the field of technical assistance but also with access to huge financial resources."
On December 12, 2018, the European Parliament called on European Union member countries to close their ports for Russian ships coming from the Sea of Azov and to prepare sanctions for Russia's actions in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait.
In addition to the international law violations, Russia does not take into account the risk of accidents due to the increase and accumulation of vessels at anchorages, added border guards.
At the end of November 2018, the minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Volodymyr Omelyan, said that Russia had practically blocked access to the Ukrainian ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk in the Sea of Azov.
On December 7, Ukrainian Defense Minister, Stepan Poltorak, said that Ukraine would not give up its right to pass through the Kerch Strait.
A number of European countries and the United States have criticized Russia's actions in the Kerch Strait. NATO announced that they are closely following developments in the Kerch Strait and called for restraint and de-escalation of tensions.