Ukraine prevents Russia from taking over chairmanship of the Black Sea Commission

During the 47th regular meeting of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution, held on October 27, 2026, the Ukrainian delegation blocked the transfer of the chairmanship to the Russian Federation.

Deputy Minister of Economy and Environment of Ukraine Iryna Ovcharenko stressed: "A state that wages an aggressive war and harms the marine environment must not head the body responsible for protecting it."

In her statement, Iryna Ovcharenko also drew attention to the significant environmental consequences of russian aggression for the entire Black Sea region. Attacks on infrastructure, damage to wastewater treatment facilities, pollution of water and soil, and the destruction of nature reserves create threats that extend far beyond Ukraine.

The coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Danube and Dnipro deltas, and wetlands of international importance are suffering from the hostilities. Pollution spreads through the sea, and the effects on marine ecosystems may persist for many years.

The Ukrainian delegation emphasized that russia's actions violate international law and lead to pollution of the marine environment, undermining the joint efforts of coastal states to fulfil their obligations under the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (the Bucharest Convention).

Ukraine called on the Contracting Parties to the Convention to give a clear assessment of the russian federation's actions and their environmental consequences, to support an assessment of the state of the marine environment and of the damage caused by the war, and to take joint measures to prevent further pollution.

Separately, the Ukrainian side raised the question of whether legal and procedural mechanisms could be applied to fully end russia's participation in the work of the Convention's bodies. This initiative must be worked out by the Contracting Parties.

Ukraine's position is consistent: protecting the Black Sea requires responsibility from every coastal state. The Commission's chairmanship must be based on respect for international law and compliance with shared obligations to preserve the marine environment.

The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution is an important platform for cooperation among coastal states under the Bucharest Convention. Its work helps coordinate monitoring of the sea's condition, exchange data and agree on measures to reduce pollution and preserve marine ecosystems. For Ukraine, this mechanism is particularly important for drawing international attention to the consequences of russian aggression and for jointly seeking solutions to protect and restore the Black Sea.