"The goal of Russia is to occupy the Sea of Azov in the same way as Crimea was occupied. This is a flagrant violation of international law and we cannot accept it. We strengthen our military there and initiate the case against Russia in the International Permanent Court of Arbitration," President Petro Poroshenko said in the interview to The Washington Post.
The Head of State stressed that Ukraine has a clear legal status in the Sea of Azov. "Russia has no right to attack or stop our vessels transporting goods and passengers from two important ports of Ukraine, Mariupol and Berdiansk. If Russia does not stop, we have only one instrument - sanctions," Petro Poroshenko said.
According to him, sanctions are needed to stop the potential threat of Russian occupation of Azov. "If they block a ship with Ukrainian metal products from Mariupol for one day, then the price of losses will be thousands of dollars," the President said.
In addition, Russians are constantly attacking Ukrainian fishermen in Ukrainian waters: arresting them, stopping them and threatening them. The President noted that this is part of the hybrid war against Ukraine.
"Sanctions halt the growth of Russian GDP, they halt the improvement of living standards in Russia and devalue Russian currency. Russian leadership pays a very high price for sanctions that can hold Russia at the negotiating table and stop the aggression," the President said.
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