Ukraine may join Romania's initiative to create a new, NATO-supported 'allied fleet' in the Black Sea when it is approved by the Alliance, President Petro Poroshenko says.
"We're mulling a joint initiative to create the Black Sea fleet under the auspices of NATO, which aims to enhance NATO's presence and step up security in the Black Sea. Ukraine will be happy to join this initiative when the Alliance approves it," Poroshenko told a joint press conference with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest on Thursday.
"Amid ongoing Russian aggression, Ukraine and Romania pay particular attention to security in the Black Sea region. We condemn the militarization by Russia of the Crimean peninsula. We've discussed new approaches to cooperation in ensuring security in the Black Sea, which should either replace or expand the existing ones," he said.
Therefore, he says, new approaches and a new vision of the situation should be proposed.
"We are ready to join it after this initiative after it is approved and supported by the Alliance. This is what has been agreed with Mr. President, and we are set to develop that cooperation," Poroshenko concluded.