On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine commented on the letter from the Russian Federation’s representative at the Arbitration Tribunal in The Hague, which marked the formal withdrawal from the case regarding the 2018 incident involving the detention of Ukrainian naval ships and servicemen. Ukraine has consistently maintained that it seeks justice and accountability for the actions taken by Russia during that period.
The Ministry expressed its position that any decisions made by the tribunal after this withdrawal are null and void, emphasizing that Ukraine will not recognize or uphold any rulings that result from this move. This action by Russia is seen as an attempt to avoid accountability for the incident, which has had lasting implications for both nations.
The case, which was initiated by Ukraine against Russia, centered on the seizure of Ukrainian naval assets and the detention of Ukrainian sailors in 2018. The tribunal was tasked with assessing the legality of these actions and determining the appropriate course of action. Russia’s withdrawal is expected to complicate the resolution of the matter, as it removes the possibility of a binding ruling from the arbitral tribunal.