Russia refuses to sign High Seas Treaty due to economic interests in Arctic – Greenpeace

Russia refuses to sign the High Seas Treaty due to possible economic interests in the Arctic, in particular, regarding the development of resources in the region, believes director of Greenpeace Ukraine Natalia Gozak.

"From what we know, the Arctic is currently opening up as the ice cover melts, freeing up water areas and making areas of the high seas accessible. The interests of the Arctic countries are now concentrated, and everyone is closely watching what will happen next," she said at a press conference on Wednesday.

At the same time, according to Gozak, the ratification of the Treaty by Ukraine will allow it to participate in decision-making and counteract Russia's expansion in the Arctic. "We are convinced that the High Seas Treaty will help, at least, Ukraine to participate in decision-making. Will it be possible to counteract these interests? We hope to join these processes and decision-making. That is, perhaps, if Ukraine does not join, this will become a big problem with regard to Russia's expansion in the Arctic," she noted.

At the same time, ecologist and Greenpeace Ukraine campaigner Serhiy Khara emphasized the environmental threats associated with Russia's behavior in the high seas.

"If it [Russia] seeks to prevent this Treaty from coming into force, it can continue to use the high seas as a place for ‘do whatever you want, extract whatever you want, dump whatever you want,’ some garbage. And we know, unfortunately, that the World Ocean is already significantly polluted - both with plastic and various floating chemicals. Therefore, if the Treaty comes into force and we, unlike Russia, have a voice there, on that platform, then this is another way to fight against Russian actions - against the environment, against the planet and against humanity," he stressed.

In 1982, the UN signed the Convention on the Law of the Sea. Ukraine has already supported two implementing agreements to it: on the implementation of Part XI of the Convention (1999) and on the implementation of provisions relating to the conservation of straddling fisheries and migratory species (2002).

In 2023, the UN adopted an agreement on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the High Seas Treaty) with the aim of conserving and sustainably using marine biological diversity.

Yulia Ovchynnykova, a member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Environmental Policy and Environmental Management, stated that Ukraine's signing of the High Seas Treaty would be evidence of its commitment to the course of European integration.