U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley on Monday condemned Russia’s seizure of three Ukrainian ships as an “outrageous violation of sovereign Ukrainian territory” and warned the Kremlin against further escalation.
Russian forces on Sunday fired at and seized three Ukrainian ships off the coast of Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. The three naval vessels had been attempting to enter the Sea of Azov through the Kerch Strait. Russia has detained crew members that were on board.
“This is no way for a law-abiding, civilized nation to act,” Haley said in remarks at the United Nations Security Council. “Impeding Ukraine’s lawful transit through the Kerch Strait is a violation under international law. It is an arrogant act that the international community must condemn and will never accept.”
Moscow has accused Ukraine of illegally broaching its territorial waters and trying to pass through the strait without permission, charges that Ukraine denies. Haley rejected Russia’s narrative in her remarks and called on Russia to “immediately cease its unlawful conduct.” The two countries have shared access to the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait under a 2003 agreement.
“Let’s be clear about what is known: Ukrainian ships set sail from one Ukrainian port to another Ukrainian port,” Haley said. “They attempted to do so by the only possible way to go: through the Kerch Strait. Both Russia and Ukraine use the strait routinely. But this time, Russia decided to prevent passage of the Ukrainian ships, rammed them, and then opened fire on them.”
Haley said Monday that her statement reflects the concerns of President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Her comments represent the administration’s highest-level condemnation yet of the incident. It is unclear whether the U.S. will specifically penalize Russia for its actions—Haley said that the administration will maintain Crimea-related sanctions against Russia. She also warned that any further escalation by the Kremlin will “further sour Russia’s relations with the U.S. and many other countries.”
“As President Trump said many times, the United States would welcome a normal relationship with Russia,” she said. “But outlaw actions like this one continue to make that impossible.”
Kremlin watchers are urging the administration to respond to Moscow’s incremental actions or risk further emboldening Vladimir Putin. “Another dangerous step in Putin’s war on Ukraine,” said Kremlin critic Garry Kasparov. “If unopposed, he’ll take another and another, until he goes too far and we have the wider conflict everyone thinks they’re avoiding by not reacting to his first steps.”
Since illegally annexing Crimea in 2014, Russia has fueled a war in eastern Ukraine, supplying pro-Russian separatists there with firepower and manpower. More than 10,000 people have died in the conflict. The Trump administration’s special envoy for Ukraine negotiations, Kurt Volker, was quick to condemn the Kremlin’s actions on Sunday.
Russia rams Ukrainian vessel peacefully traveling toward a Ukrainian port. Russia seizes ships and crew and then accuses Ukraine of provocation???
— Kurt Volker (@SpecRepUkraine) November 26, 2018
