On 20 August 2018, in respect of the Dispute Concerning Coastal State Rights in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and Kerch Strait (Ukraine v. the Russian Federation), the Arbitral Tribunal unanimously adopted Procedural Order No. 3 deciding that “the Preliminary Objections of the Russian Federation shall be addressed in a preliminary phase of these proceedings”. Procedural Order No. 4, adopted 27 August 2018, established a timetable for the Parties’ further written pleadings on jurisdiction.
For further information see Procedural Order No. 3, Procedural Order No. 4 and the Statement of the MFA of Ukraine. The US State Department and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine have also recently commented on the situation vis-a-vis the Kerch Strait.
De Maribus 