12:58 07.12.2018

Parubiy notes importance of expanding naval, air presence of NATO, U.S. in Black Sea

2 min read
Parubiy notes importance of expanding naval, air presence of NATO, U.S. in Black Sea

For Ukraine, it is very important that NATO and the United States boost their naval and air presence in the Black Sea region, Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy has said.

"We do reckon upon American support, which we feel day by day - and we hope that it will be even more decisive," said Parubiy during a meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Ukraine, Russia and Eurasia Laura Cooper.

The speaker of the Ukrainian parliament thanked the U.S. for supporting Ukraine after the aggressive attack of the Russian Federation in the Sea of Azov. "This naval attack upon Ukrainian ships was not only an act of aggression. It has been the mere longing to show the whole world that the Sea of Azov is the inland waters of the Russian Federation, where nobody can enter. This is actually another step towards the annexation of Ukrainian territory and international waters," he said.

Parubiy also noted that it is "extremely important for Ukraine to return Ukrainian sailors home, to their families back to their homeland."

In her turn, Cooper once again assured support to Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity. The aggression of the Russian Federation is a violation of international maritime law ... the Russian Federation carried out a provocation and can continue to act in this way, she said, adding that they saw a very balanced reaction from Ukraine.

The participants of the meeting also discussed possibilities of further cooperation in the fields of cyber and information security, marine navigation and air control.

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