The spokeswoman of the European External Action Service, Maja Kocijancic, announced on Monday 26 November that Europeans were considering how to respond to the rising tensions in the Azov Sea.
On Sunday, November 25, Russia seized three Ukrainian ships attempting to cross the Kerch Strait after firing on them. Russian authorities have closed the strait to traffic.
"The High Representative [of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy], Federica Mogherini, is in contact with several partners and will continue to work towards a broader international response,” said Ms. Kocijancic. According to a European source, Ms. Mogherini met with Ukrainian Foreign Ministers Pavlo Klimkin and current G7 President, Canada’s Chrystia Freeland. On the other hand, there was no direct contact with Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sergei Lavrov.
“Our Member States will also look at the question for an response”, said the EEAS spokesperson, for which the subject is one of the High Representative's priorities. Mobilisation of Member States was not long in coming. As early as the afternoon of the 26th, the ambassadors of the Political and Security Committee (PSC) met for a special meeting on the Azov Sea for an exchange of information and they will continue this Tuesday with a broader discussion on possible implications. According to Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, who said that the EU should intervene, the PSC session should make it possible to adopt a common position.
On his side, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and his representatives to discuss the situation. “The EU will remain united in its support for Ukraine”, he warned.
And while the UN Security Council (UNSC) was scheduled to gather in an emergency meeting on Monday evening to discuss the situation, the five European members of the UNSC (France, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom) called on “Russia to ensure free access to Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov and to restore freedom of passage through the Kerch Strait”, and asked ”all parties to act with the utmost restraint to allow for a de-escalation of the situation immediately”, in a joint statement.
On Sunday 25, the Ukrainian president, whose country reintroduced martial law, urged, among other things, “EU countries[and] participants in the Normandy Format” to “coordinate effective measures to protect Ukraine”.
Call for calm
Pending action, the EU reacted verbally as early as 25 November. "Tensions in the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait have dangerously increased [...] We expect Russia to restore freedom of passage in the Kerch Strait and we urge everyone to act with the utmost restraint to immediately defuse the situation”, the EEAS spokesperson explained, describing the developments as "unacceptable". She called for the immediate release of the vessels and staff on board.
A few days ago, the High Representative had already stressed that the EU expected Russia to stop Azov Sea inspections. In parallel with its militarisation, the Azov Sea is subject to stricter control of maritime traffic (see EUROPE 12124). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)