Ambassador Nikki Haley sharply confronted Russia’s latest aggression against Ukraine in front of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, calling the act an “outrageous violation of sovereign Ukrainian territory” and a violation of international law.
“The United States will continue to stand with the people of Ukraine against the Russian aggression,” Haley said.
The ambassador’s response marks the most vocal rebuke from the Trump administration since Russia seized three Ukrainian ships on Sunday in the contested waters of the Kerch Strait near the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula.
Russia’s FSB security service confirmed on Monday the seizure of the Ukrainian ships, claiming the vessels — two armored artillery vessels and one tug boat — “had illegally entered its territorial waters, attempted illegal actions, and ignored warnings to stop while maneuvering dangerously.”
Haley outlined recent steps the United States has taken to combat Russian aggression in the region, noting that Washington condemned Russia’s development and construction of a bridge between Russia and Crimea in May, and in August, further condemned Russia for its harassment of international shipping in the waters around Ukraine.
“We call on Russia to respect its international obligations and not obstruct or harass Ukraine’s transit in the Kerch Straight and to deescalate the tensions it has created,” she said. “It is an arrogant act that the international community must condemn and will never accept.”
Haley warned Moscow that, while President
Haley said the United States will maintain its Crimea-related sanctions against Russia and that any further aggression will “only make matters worse.”
“In the name of international peace and security, Russia must immediately cease its unlawful conduct and respect the navigational rights and freedoms of all states,” she concluded.