Statement 

by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 

H.E. Mr. Oleksandr Mishchenko 

at the United Nations Security Council High-Level Open Debate 

“The Safety and Protection of Waterways in the Maritime Domain”

(27 April 2026)

 

 

Mr. President, 

 

Let me thank the Bahrain Presidency for organizing today’s important debate. We are also grateful to Secretary-General António Guterres and other briefers for their valuable insights.

Maritime security is becoming increasingly urgent. Ukraine, as a maritime nation, attaches the highest priority to safety at sea and remains committed to ensuring secure navigation in its waters. However, Russia’s war of aggression has severely undermined maritime security in the Black Sea region and beyond.

The Russian Federation continues to impose unlawful restrictions on navigation, carry out systematic attacks against port infrastructure and merchant vessels, disrupt maritime safety systems and create persistent threats through the mining of sea areas. As a result, the safety and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea remains severely compromised.

Only this month, Russia has carried out several deliberate attacks against civilian vessels flying the flags of Liberia and Panama, which were either en route to Ukrainian ports to load grain or were already undergoing cargo operations at berths, as well as against port infrastructure, thereby creating an enormous risk to the life and health of civilian crews and port workers.

Furthermore, Russia’s aggression has resulted in the illegal use of seaports located in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which have been lawfully closed and notified to the International Maritime Organization. Foreign-flagged vessels continue to unlawfully enter these ports to load and export goods, including Ukrainian agricultural products, in direct violation of international law. Such activities are enabled by the intentional deactivation or manipulation of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), constituting violations of international maritime safety obligations and facilitating the concealment of illicit cargo movements.

We call for strict adherence to international law, including UNCLOS, and for coordinated international efforts to ensure safe and secure maritime navigation.

Ukraine welcomes efforts aimed at de-escalation and the establishment of a ceasefire in the Middle East and the Gulf region. A ceasefire is a necessary step towards ending hostilities – it saves lives, prevents destruction, and creates the conditions for diplomacy to deliver results.

Ukraine has consistently called for a ceasefire in Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against our State and our people, and we equally support silence in the Middle East and the Gulf as a pathway for diplomatic engagement.

At the same time, Ukraine expresses serious concern over continued threats to maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz. Attacks on merchant ships, intimidation of crews, and any attempts to disrupt navigation are unacceptable and constitute clear violations of international law, including the principle of freedom of navigation.

The situation in the region has global implications. Any threats to stability in the Gulf directly affect international trade, energy security, and the cost of living worldwide. In this context, ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is of critical importance.

Ukraine remains committed to working constructively with all partners to strengthen maritime security and uphold the rules-based order at sea.

I thank you.