Panama to Punish Ships for Crimean Ports Entry

The Panamanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will severely punish ships under the Panamanian flag for the entry into the Russian-occupied Ukrainian Crimea ports, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin posted on Facebook.

The diplomat reported on the first political consultations with Panama during the past eight years. The Panamanian Deputy Foreign Minister Federico Alfaro Boyd represented Panama’s party.

The parties agreed on three significant decisions during the meeting. The first is to intensify economic cooperation, in particular, in shipbuilding, air transportation, hydropower and other fields. The second is to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and Panama within international organisations, including the United Nations. And the last, but not least, was related to the illegal entry of Panamanian ships into the ports of the Russian-occupied Crimea.

“The Panamanian Foreign Ministry will take control of the violations of the entry rules to the closed ports of Crimea by vessels under the Panamanian flag. Violators will face severe sanctions,” Yenin posted.  Besides, he thanked his Panamanian colleague for the cooperation in VIP-fugitives refoulment.

Natalia Tolub