Ethe war with Russia, Ukraine seeks NATO assistance

Ukraine's president, Petro Poroshenko, called on NATO to send ships to the Azov Sea to protect his country after Russia annexed three Ukrainian ships and arrested their crew Sunday off the Crimean coast.

In an interview for the German newspaper Bild, Porosenko said he hopes European states will take active steps, including increasing sanctions and military protection against Russia.

“Hopefully NATO states are prepared to send sea ships to the Azov Sea to protect Ukraine and provide security”, said Poshenko.

He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin sees himself as <x0Perranor”, while Ukraine as “kolon” Russian.

The only thing he [Putin] understands is the solidarity of the Western world. We cannot accept the aggressive policies of Russia. Initially it was the Crimea, then eastern Ukraine, now loves the Azov” Sea, said Porosenko.

The Azov Sea is the water separating the Crime Peninsula, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, from the lands of Ukraine and Russia.

Russia has built the bridge on Kric Strait to connect the Crimea with its territory.

The Krici Strait is the only route for ships travelling through the Azov Sea, where Ukraine has several ports, and the Black Sea, usually patrolled by NATO.

Ukraine is a NATO partner, but not a member of the military alliance.

Earlier, NATO has made it clear that “concentrates with Ukraine” and has called on Russia to free Ukrainian ships and seamen.

Russia has said Ukraine's ships have illegally entered its waters, while Putin has declared that Ukrainian authorities have “deliberately approved”.