Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister Zerkal holds number of meetings at NATO Headquarters

"In particular, Olena Zerkal took part in a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission dedicated to the consideration of the legal aspects of restoring sovereignty and protecting Ukraine’s legitimate interests in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov and ensuring freedom of navigation in the Kerch Strait," the press service of the Mission of Ukraine to NATO reports.

As noted, the Ukrainian side provided information that would help the Allies to understand better the legal aspects of Ukraine’s efforts aimed at restoring the sovereignty in Crimea, settling the security situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov with international legal steps, as well as informed about the legal measures taken by Ukraine in order to free the Ukrainian sailors and ships captured by Russia on November 25, 2018.

In response, the representatives of the North Atlantic Alliance expressed full support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, unanimously noted the unlawfulness of seizing Crimea and confirmed their readiness to continue to put pressure on the Russian Federation to ensure safe and unhindered navigation in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait and immediate liberation of Ukrainian ships and sailors.

During the meeting with Steven Hill, the Chief Legal Adviser to NATO Secretary General, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Olena Zerkal discussed the security situation in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov as well as the next steps of Ukraine’s cooperation with NATO in the legal field.