To the south of the island is the state border between Ukraine and Romania, established by the Treaty on Good Neighborliness and Cooperation between the two countries.

According to international law, state borders along a river are established along the fairway, unless the parties have agreed otherwise.

The main reason for such claims is the huge losses Romania suffered after Ukraine put the Danube-Black Sea deepwater canal into operation.

The transfer of the island to Romania will allow the Romanian authorities to regain control over the shipping corridor on this section of the Danube.

In 2004, Romania filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice to delimit the Black Sea shelf.