Foreign ministers of Denmark and Czech Republic call on Russia release Ukrainian sailors

30.01.2019 09:22

Ukrinform

Foreign Ministers of Denmark and the Czech Republic, Anders Samuelsen and Tomas Petricek, called on Russia to immediately release all 24 captured Ukrainian sailors, according to a report posted on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s website.

“Following the trip to Mariupol, the foreign ministers of Denmark and the Czech Republic expressed unwavering and firm support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, condemned Russia's actions and called for the immediate release of 24 Ukrainian prisoners of war. It was stressed that if Moscow refuses to take relevant steps, the European Union will introduce new sanctions against Russia. They also called on the Russian Federation to ensure the freedom of navigation in the Black and Azov Seas, as well as in the Kerch Strait," reads the report.

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine added that the issues of possible introduction of new restrictive measures against Russia and an increase in assistance to the Ukrainian Azov Sea region will be discussed at the next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on February 18, 2019.