Germany calls for military protection of Ukrainian vessels
Ukrainian ships carrying grain in the Black Sea should be provided with military escort, said Markus Faber, a member of the Bundestag and a defense expert of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), on Wednesday, July 26.
“This is something I think is feasible,” Faber said on RTL. According to him, it is necessary to find out which countries can provide ships for such escort. He recalled that Turkey had previously declared its readiness to take such a step under certain circumstances. “I think that other Black Sea countries, such as Bulgaria and Romania, should do the same,” Faber added.
In his opinion, the deployment of an escort force under the auspices of NATO is unlikely to be possible. Germany will also not be able to provide its ships, as its navy is “at the limit of its capabilities,” the German politician explained.
The threat of escalation in the Black Sea
On July 26, the NATO-Ukraine Council will meet in Brussels to discuss prospects for further grain exports.
After withdrawing from the grain deal, Russia began to target Ukraine’s port infrastructure. Subsequently, the Russian Defense Ministry called a number of areas in the Black Sea “temporarily dangerous for navigation” and announced that starting July 20, all ships heading to Ukrainian ports would be considered potentially carrying military cargo. After that, Ukraine issued a mirror statement.
At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned Russia’s intimidation to use force against civilian vessels regardless of their flag, and called on partners to support the initiative to create a humanitarian maritime corridor in the Black Sea.
Meanwhile, the UK Ministry of Defense warns of the risks of escalation in the Black Sea. The US reported that Russia had laid additional sea mines on the approaches to Ukrainian ports.
