The UN's shipping agency will seek to create a safe maritime corridor to enable merchant ships and their crews stuck in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to sail away without the risk of being hit.
The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) convened a virtual meeting on Thursday and Friday to discuss the escalating situation.
A statement afterwards said the IMO's Secretary-General Kitack Lim "indicated his commitment to take immediate action to realise the blue safe maritime corridor with the cooperation and collaboration of the relevant parties including littoral states".
It said a maritime corridor would "allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships from the high-risk and affected areas in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to a safe place".
The IMO meeting was held with its Council, which consists of 40 member countries who are elected for two years. Non-Council member states such as Ukraine were able to make statements.
The Council separately demanded that Russia "cease its unlawful activities to ensure the safety and welfare of seafarers and the security of international shipping and the marine environment in all affected areas".
Russia's IMO representatives could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday.
