The adviser to the Ukrainian head of state, Daria Zarivna, said on Monday that the grain export agreement should be indefinite, arguing that Ukraine guarantees food to “400 million people around the world”.
“The agreement should be extended. It should be indefinite, because Ukraine guarantees food security for 400 million people around the world”said Zarivna, quoted by the agency Ukrinform.
“During the term of the grain agreement, about 23 million tons of food has been exported from Ukraine. For our part, we have transparent, clear and clear agreements with the UN and Turkey” said the assistant.
In the same statement, Daria Zarivna accuses Russia of “doing everything” to avoid extending the export deal.
Zarivna stressed that Russia is taking an obstructive stance with the aim of “eliminating a competitor in the world market” and “weakening the Ukrainian economy”.
Ukraine, the United Nations and Turkey agreed with Moscow on November 17 last year to extend the “Initiative for Safe Transport of Agricultural Products across the Black Sea” agreement for a period of 120 days.
The start of the pact took place on June 22, 2022, with the first ship carrying Ukrainian grains leaving the port of Odessa, on the Black Sea, on August 1.
The current agreement is valid until March 18, when the extension is to be formalized by both parties, but there are no full guarantees on the renewal of the pact yet.
The transport of grains and other Ukrainian agricultural products has been drastically affected by the military invasion of Russia that began in February last year.
Source: DN
