Freedom of navigation in Black and Azov seas: what OSCE chairman and head of Donetsk region spoke about in Mariupol (PHOTO)

Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ms. Ann Linde has arrived in Mariupol, where, together with head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko, they discussed the topic of freedom of navigation in the Black and Azov Seas in the port, - the press service of the regional state administration reported today, June 14.

"Sweden is a long-term partner of Ukraine, it supports the desire of our country to restore territorial integrity. Sweden's chairmanship in the OSCE allows raising issues related to Russian aggression to a new level", - the message says.

It is also recalled that since April of this year, the Russian Federation announced the closure until October 2021 of a part of the Black Sea in the direction of the Kerch Strait for warships and government ships of other countries. This causes serious damage to the Ukrainian ports on Azov and the economy in general.

"This was the focus of our communication. Thanks to Ms. Linde and our European partners for their sincere desire to help Ukraine. I believe that we will be able to minimize the impact of the illegal actions of the Russian Federation by joint efforts", - Pavlo Kyrylenko noted.

It is specified that Ann Linde is visiting Ukraine for the second time in the capacity of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

The main topics of this visit were issues related to the ceasefire and the humanitarian situation in eastern Ukraine, including the efforts necessary for a long-term settlement of the conflict.

As OstroV reported, during a working visit to Ukraine, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden Ann Linde, together with the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, will visit the Joint Forces Operation zone, where she will personally familiarize herself with the activities of the OSCE SMM in Ukraine and the consequences of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, features of the movement of ships in the Black and Azov Seas.