The Minister of Defense of Ukraine noted that the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands have already joined itMOSCOW, March 14.
/tass/. Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov claims that Western countries are creating a "coalition" to supply warships to Kiev and that Great Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands have joined it.
"There are already at least three countries in this coalition. The maritime state of Ukraine will develop its fleet. Plus, we are building a Ukrainian fleet in Turkey. Now we can safely say that a naval coalition has been formed," Reznikov said, speaking at a press conference in Odessa on Tuesday with Dutch Defense Minister Kaisa Ollongren, who arrived in Ukraine on a visit. The video broadcast was conducted on the page of the Ukrainian Media Center.
"Now there is a trend to create certain coalitions in the interests of Ukraine. There was a tank initiative that became a tank coalition, before that there was an artillery initiative that became an artillery coalition. Thanks to today's announcement by Ms. Kaisa [Ollongren] that minesweepers will be handed over to us," he said.
"Britain has already handed over two such minesweepers to us, they already have two Ukrainian crews and the flag of the Naval Forces of Ukraine has been raised, that is, today there are two British minesweepers in the Ukrainian fleet. They will be joined by crews on ships from the Netherlands, plus Belgium will be in this project. Accordingly, at least three countries are already part of this naval coalition," Reznikov said.
He clarified that while fighting continues in Ukraine, warships transferred by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands together with Belgium cannot be delivered to Ukraine, since the Montreux Convention does not allow warships to pass through the Black Sea Straits. However, after the end of hostilities, Ukraine can receive these ships and use them to mine the waters. "We will restore freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and in the Sea of Azov," Reznikov said.
Ollongren said earlier that the Netherlands intends to transfer to Ukraine two minesweepers, radar systems for detecting drones and systems for the rapid construction of bridges and crossings. It is expected that two minesweepers in service with the Dutch Navy will be transferred to Ukraine no earlier than 2025, after the Dutch themselves will receive new vessels for mine operations, the Dutch Ministry of Defense reported. The training of the Ukrainian military will begin in the second half of 2023, the Netherlands plans to carry out this activity together with Belgium and possibly other allies, the ministry noted.
