Statement 

by Chargée d’Affaires of Ukraine to the UN Khrystyna Hayovyshyn 

at the United Nations Security Council High-Level Open Debate “Strengthening Maritime Security through International Cooperation for Global Stability”

(20 May 2025)

Mr. President, 

We welcome the participation of His Excellency Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, and thank the Greek Presidency for organizing today’s important debate. We are grateful to all briefers for their valuable insights.

Ukraine aligns with the statement delivered by the European Union.

The issue of maritime security is increasingly urgent. As correctly highlighted, safe and secure seas are vital for international peace, economic resilience, and sustainable development. They are also directly relevant to the Council’s responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Ukraine, as a maritime state, attaches the highest priority to maritime security. This issue is directly linked to energy and food security, as disruptions at sea affect supply chains, delay vital shipments, and jeopardize access to essential goods.

Despite facing ongoing threats, Ukraine remains committed to ensuring safety in its territorial waters. A clear example is the Ukrainian-led maritime corridor, launched after Russia’s unilateral termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2023. In the face of constant missile attacks, this corridor continues to deliver food to over 50 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Ukraine remains a steadfast contributor to global food security.

However, Russia’s aggression — beginning in 2014 with the illegal occupation of Crimea and escalating into a full-scale invasion — has drastically undermined stability in the Black and Azov Seas. Occupied Ukrainian ports have been turned into military hubs. Meanwhile, Russia has targeted over 400 port facilities with more than 500 missiles and drones, destroying over 100,000 tons of agricultural goods and disrupting trade routes.

The environmental consequences of the war are equally alarming. In December 2024, two Russian tankers, sank in the Kerch Strait, releasing massive quantities of fuel oil into Ukrainian territorial waters. This resulted in a large-scale ecological disaster, devastating marine ecosystems and contaminating coastlines in Crimea and beyond. The incident highlights how maritime security also includes the protection of fragile marine environments. Accountability must follow.

Ukraine actively supports international cooperation to enhance maritime security, including through engagement with the International Maritime Organization. We underscore the importance of implementing relevant Security Council resolutions and upholding international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Mr. President, 

To conclude, the only path to true stability in the region, the restoration of maritime security, and the safeguarding of global market stability is through just and lasting peace based on the United Nations Charter principles. This peace must ensure the full restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including territorial waters, along with clear, reliable, and enforceable security guarantees.

I thank you.