Kuleba urges EU countries to expand opportunities for export of Ukrainian grain

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called on the European Union (EU) members to urgently expand all available opportunities for the export of Ukrainian grain, Report informs via RBC-Ukraine.

According to the minister, while Russia "destroys the grain initiative", strikes at Ukrainian ports and tries to make money on rising food prices, Ukraine and the European Union should make every effort to simplify food exports from Ukraine. In particular, by maximizing the capacity of the alternative transport corridors "Ways of Solidarity".

Kuleba said that with such steps, the Russian side is trying to eliminate Ukraine from the market as a competitor, forcing end buyers, consumers in Asia and Africa, and "finance the Russian military machine."

According to him, the ideal scenario would be a complete cessation of the naval blockade of Ukrainian ports. This will be possible when Ukraine receives the first F-16 squadron, which will be able to patrol the sky and sea lanes.

Kuleba also expressed gratitude to those EU countries that are already making an active contribution to the aviation coalition, and called for the implementation of all procedures as soon as possible.

“At present, Ukraine has proposed to the UN and Türkiye to continue the work of the grain corridor in a trilateral format, including ship inspections at the Joint Coordination Center. We are awaiting their response. I urge you to support our request in your engagement with the UN and the Secretary-General,” the minister noted.

Dmytro Kuleba stressed that all alternative ways of exporting Ukrainian grain should now operate at full capacity and expand. He voiced concrete proposals from Ukraine to increase the capacity of transport corridors, in particular, he called for the joint development of the Danube cluster, as well as the Adriatic and Baltic transport corridors.