Ukraine blocked the transfer of Russia’s chairmanship of the Black Sea Commission
30.10.2026 - 14:54
The Ukrainian delegation did not allow the transfer of the chairmanship of Russia in the Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution.
Ukraine also raised the issue of a possible complete termination of the Russian Federation’s participation in the work of the bodies of the Bucharest Convention, the Ministry of Economy reported.
The corresponding decision was made during the 47th regular meeting of the Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution, which took place on October 27.
Deputy Minister of Economy and Environment of Ukraine Iryna Ovcharenko emphasized that a state that is waging an aggressive war and causing harm to the marine environment should not head the body responsible for its protection.
According to her, Russian attacks on infrastructure, damage to treatment facilities, pollution of water and soil, and destruction of nature reserves create environmental threats for the entire Black Sea region.
In particular, the coasts of the Black and Azov Seas, the Danube and Dnieper deltas, as well as wetlands of international importance are suffering as a result of the hostilities.
The Ukrainian side stressed that the consequences of pollution could spread far beyond Ukraine and affect marine ecosystems for many years.
In addition, the Ukrainian delegation stated that the actions of the Russian Federation undermine the joint efforts of the coastal states to implement the Bucharest Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution.
Ukraine called on the countries-parties to the Convention to assess the environmental consequences of Russian aggression, support research into the damage to the marine environment, and take joint measures to prevent further pollution.
Separately, the Ukrainian delegation proposed to consider legal and procedural mechanisms for the complete termination of Russia’s participation in the work of the Convention bodies. This initiative has yet to be worked out by the participating states.
The Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution operates within the framework of the Bucharest Convention and coordinates cooperation between coastal states on monitoring the marine environment, data exchange, and measures to reduce pollution.
Earlier, USM reported that the UGA and the Danube Commission discussed increasing the throughput capacity of the Danube.
