People's Front Party leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk believes that a permanent international monitoring mission should immediately be deployed to the Sea of Azov, and NATO member states must send their military ships there to prevent Russia from isolating the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

"We will not allow Russia to block the Azov Sea and Mariupol. It is necessary to urgently deploy a permanent international monitoring mission to the Sea of Azov," the party's press service quoted Yatsenyuk as saying in an interview with Radio Liberty during his visit to Berlin.

He stressed that the conflict in the Sea of Azov is "part of the plan of Russia's aggression against Ukraine."

According to Yatsenyuk, Russia plans "to isolate Mariupol, destabilize it, and try to implement a plan to capture further territories of Ukraine."

"The annexation of the Crimea, then Donetsk and Luhansk, then Putin hoped that he would capture Mariupol, Kherson, reach Odesa, and fully extend the chain to Transdniestria," he said.

He stressed that the Ukrainian Navy is increasing its presence in the Sea of Azov, but it is not enough. He noted that Ukraine is at war with a nuclear power, "which spends tens of billions of dollars on its armed forces."

"I believe that NATO member countries, not just the United States, should decide on the supply of military vessels to protect the Sea of Azov. Regarding the political aspects, then, of course, we don't want escalation. But we will not allow Russia to block the Sea of Azov and Mariupol. Therefore, I believe that it is urgent to deploy a permanent international monitoring mission to the Sea of Azov," Yatsenyuk said.