Ukraine joined the High Seas Agreement to protect ecosystems

The document was signed at the UN headquarters in New York by the Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, Oleksiy Sobolev.

Ukraine has officially become a party to the international Agreement on the High Seas (BBNJ Agreement), which is aimed at protecting ocean ecosystems and sustainable access to marine resources in international waters. This was reported by the Ministry of Economy.

This step confirms Ukraine’s pro-European course and joins it to a new global mechanism for protecting biodiversity. The agreement provides for the creation of marine protected areas, the implementation of environmental impact assessments, fair access to ocean genetic resources and the development of scientific research.

Sobolev stressed that even in times of war, Ukraine is ready to take care of global ecosystems and confront Russia’s environmental crimes in the Black Sea and Crimea. He emphasized that the issue of protecting the seas is strategic for the region, given Ukraine’s geographical location.

The agreement, adopted in 2023 under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, covers two-thirds of the world’s oceans. It is consistent with the Paris Climate Agreement and the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity, including conserving 30% of land and oceans by 2030.

As of August 2025, 140 countries have signed the document, of which 54 have completed ratification. Ukraine must do so within 120 days.

Earlier, USM reported that Ukraine and Sweden discussed strengthening the protection of the Black Sea. Norway can also play a key role in strengthening air defense and protecting Ukraine’s coastline.