Russia’s interference with Ukrainian shipping in the Azov is costing Ukraine $350 million,

Russia’s interference with Ukrainian shipping in the Azov is costing Ukraine $350 million, Infrastructure Minister Omelyan says. Faced with delays costing $10-50,000 a day, shippers are shifting to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, shunning Berdyansk and Mariupol, Ukraine’s big Azov ports. Last week, US envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker told reporters the Trump Administration is considering imposing sanctions this spring against Russian ships servicing Russia’s Azov ports. Last week, a EU fact finding mission visited Berdyansk and Mariupol. On Feb. 18, the European Commission is to discuss sanctioning Russia for blocking freedom of shipping in the Azov, a binational sea by treaty.