Ukraine, Romania, and Bulgaria have reached an agreement at the ministerial level to collaborate on actions involving international institutions regarding the large-scale ecological disaster in the Black Sea, caused by oil contamination.

An online meeting was held with Romania's Minister of Environment, Waters, and Forests, Mircea Fechet, and the acting Minister of Environment and Waters of Bulgaria, Petar Dimitrov. According to them, a significant issue remains the lack of verified data regarding the accident involving Russian tankers on December 15, 2024, and the subsequent spread of oil in the Black Sea waters. We currently have access to information about this situation only through local media from Crimea and a limited number of satellite images.
As of today, images show that the contamination from Russian oil has reached the city of Yevpatoria. UkrNCEEM continues to monitor the development of this emergency using available resources.

Colleagues emphasized that our cooperation is not a service for Ukraine, but a shared responsibility. The Black Sea connects several European countries. Although mathematical models do not indicate the movement of the spill westward, the consequences of the Russian tankers' accident pose risks for the entire Black Sea. This involves dozens of kilometers of oil slick on the water's surface deep into the Black Sea, thousands of kilometers of contaminated coastline, thousands of dead birds, and dozens of dolphins, disrupting food chains in ecosystems. According to preliminary estimates by eco-inspectors, the oil leak has caused material damage to the Black Sea ecosystem amounting to over 14 billion USD.
Separately, an agreement was made to coordinate joint efforts to limit the entry of outdated Russian vessels into the Black Sea, which pose potential threats to the marine ecosystem.

Ukraine has already reached out to the relevant secretariats of UN conventions, UNEP, UNESCO, the European Union, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding this issue. We received feedback from the Secretariat of the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution about the need for an extraordinary meeting to address this case. Additionally, on January 27 of this year, the matter will be discussed at a meeting of the IMO Sub-Committee on the Prevention of Pollution.

We continue our observations, preparing an appeal to the European Commission, and await a strong response from the global community. This is not the first similar situation involving Russian tankers. The Russian Federation ignores international maritime law. Therefore, to overlook this accident now would mean allowing its recurrence in the future.