Ukraine Calls for Harsh Sanctions Against Russia Over Ports

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls for new sanctions against Russia.
• Russia is legalizing the occupation of Ukrainian ports.
• The international community must react to the violations.

This is reported by RBC Ukraine, Ukrinform.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has called for the introduction of severe sanctions against Russia due to its attempt to legalize the occupation of the ports of Berdiansk and Mariupol. In the corresponding statement, published on the official website of the Ministry, it is noted that the Russian decree from September 22, 2025, which included these ports in the list of open ports for foreign vessels, is yet another attempt by Moscow to legitimize its occupation.

The ministry condemned this step as a clear violation of international law, including:

• The UN Charter, which enshrines the principle of state sovereignty;
• The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, which states that regulation of navigation in the territorial waters of Ukraine is exclusively within the competence of Ukraine;
• The resolutions of the UN General Assembly, which reaffirm Ukraine's sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders.

Kyiv has called on international partners to impose additional harsh sanctions against all Russian individuals and legal entities, as well as foreign companies that engage in commercial activities in the ports of Berdiansk and Mariupol. The ministry also appealed to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with a request to remind member states of the need to comply with resolution A.1183(33) dated December 4, 2023, which pertains to the influence of Russian aggression on international maritime shipping.

According to the Center for Transport Strategies, on September 25, the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree on the addition of ports to the list opened for foreign vessels. The port of Mariupol primarily processes loads of metal, coal, and grain. According to the data, Russian occupiers are exporting from Ukraine between 40,000 to 60,000 tons of stolen resources, and in 2024, over 300,000 tons of illegally seized Ukrainian grain were exported through the port of Berdiansk.

The Kremlin also plans to expand the port of Mariupol by the end of the year to increase the export of stolen Ukrainian agricultural products.

Tags: Ukraine/Russia/Politics