Poroshenko hopes NATO countries will send ships to Azov Sea
The head of state said this in an interview with German newspaper Bild.
When asked whether German warships should set sail to the Sea of Azov, Poroshenko said: "Germany is one of our closest allies and we hope that states within NATO are now ready to relocate naval ships to the Sea of Azov in order to assist Ukraine and provide security."
He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin understands only one language - the unity of the Western world. The international community should not accept this yet another act of Russian aggression, he added.
"First it was Crimea, then eastern Ukraine, now he wants the Sea of Azov. Germany, too, has to ask itself: What will Putin do next if we do not stop him?" Poroshenko said.
According to him, the world should speak with one voice, and it is necessary to immediately introduce further sanctions due to Russian aggression.
"Putin must immediately release our soldiers and, at the same time, ensure free international navigation at sea," the president said, adding that not only Ukrainian ships but also three German vessels were stuck in the Azov Sea.
On November 25, Russian border ships committed aggressive actions against Ukrainian vessels that set sail from the port of Odesa to the port of Mariupol. Russian special forces fired on and captured three Ukrainian ships and 24 sailors in the Kerch Strait.
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