Poroshenko: Major NATO presence in Black Sea, supplies of lethal weapons needed

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that after Russia’s aggression near the Kerch Strait major NATO presence in the Black Sea should be seen, the sanction package against Russia should be introduced, and military and technical upgrades should be done, including lethal weapon supplies for Ukraine.

According to a posting on the website of the head of state on Dec. 8, Poroshenko recalled in an interview with the U.S. Fox News TV channel about the events in the neutral waters of the Blacks Sea on Nov. 25 when 10 Russian military vessels shot at and seized three Ukrainian naval vessels and wounded six Ukrainian sailors.

Poroshenko said that this is the act of aggression and it aroused the quite strong reaction of the world, in particular, the U.S. president, the European Union, G7, G20 and other officials.

“But these are statements, these are only words, and in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions it is extremely important for us to also act, he said. For example, first, we need a NATO presence in the Black Sea to prevent Russian troops from occupying the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov region, which is happening now,” Poroshenko said.

The Ukrainian president said that the Azov package of sanctions is very important, and when he met with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite in Lithuania, Lithuania presented a national package of sanctions over an act of aggression in the Black Sea near the Kerch Strait.