EU To Study Russia's Plans To Partly Close Black Sea Waters For 6 Months

The European Union will analyze the information about Russia's planned closure of some of its territorial water zones in the Black Sea, including near the Kerch Peninsula, EU spokesman Peter Stano said on Friday

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th April, 2021) The European Union will analyze the information about Russia's planned closure of some of its territorial water zones in the Black Sea, including near the Kerch Peninsula, EU spokesman Peter Stano said on Friday.

On April 14, the Russian Defense Ministry's department of navigation and oceanography released a bulletin stating that from April 24 to October 31, there will be no passage through the territorial sea of Russia for foreign warships and other state vessels in three water areas of the Black Sea. The bulletin noted that the zones planned for closure will not prevent the navigation through the Kerch Strait and are located within the Russian territorial waters.

"With regard to the announcement by Russia, we have taken a note of this, we are analyzing the situation .

.. all of the aspects of this event will be taken into consideration," Stano said at a briefing.

The spokesman added that EU foreign ministers and foreign policy chief Josep Borrell will discuss all the aspects of the situation around Ukraine at a meeting on April 19 and formulate a common clear position.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has lodged a protest with Moscow over the closure and called it a violation of norms and principles of international law, since Ukraine has the right to regular shipping in these areas of the Black Sea. Notably, the Kerch Strait itself and the way to it, according to the Russian ministry's bulletin, are not part of the water areas that are expected to be closed.