Ukraine and the European Union (EU) agreed this Wednesday on a mechanism to facilitate the export of Ukrainian agricultural products to the European market, blocked by the Russian invasion.
The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskymet with an EU delegation led by the president of the European Comission, Ursula von der Leyento discuss the global food crisis caused by the conflict.
“We have established an effective mechanism to maintain a permanent dialogue: the Joint Coordination Platform for Export and Transit of Ukrainian Agricultural Products,” Zelensky said in a statement.
“This platform must continue to work and help resolve all problematic issues in the field of agricultural products,” he added.
The meeting, which was also attended by the president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Mariya Gabrielalso addressed the preservation of the principle of single market and the proposal of alternative transport routes through Romania and Bulgaria.
“More than 60 percent of Ukrainian grain transit is guaranteed through Romania,” Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian president highlighted that these routes would increase the traffic volume and would reduce the burden on the domestic markets of these countries, as well as on the Ukrainian ports of Izmail and Reni.
“Our joint efforts will contribute to reducing the load on the infrastructures of the ukrainian ports of Izmail and Reni, as well as to expedite the transshipment of goods,” he added.
“Ukraine is a future member of the European Union. Therefore, we must work together to (…) avoid any unilateral restrictions in the future and protect the competitive advantages of each EU member under conditions of free trade,” Zelensky said.
The agreement is an important step to alleviate the global food crisiswhich has caused rising food prices and shortages of basic products in many countries.
During the meeting, both leaders exchanged their views on increasing the capacity of the ukrainian portsas well as the increase in river transport through the river Danube.
UN Security Council
Zelensky faced Russia this Wednesday in the UN Security Councilwhere he denounced the “criminal” invasion of Moscow and urged an end to its veto rightbefore meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Dressed in the military uniform that has become his hallmark, Zelensky sat for the first time since the February 2022 invasion in the same UN room as the Russian representative, who showed more interest in his phone.
“Most of the world recognizes the truth about this war,” he said. Zelensky. “It is a criminal and unprovoked aggression by Russia against our nation with the aim of seizing the territory and resources of Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian head of state urged the UN to vote for strip Russia of its veto power in the Security Council.
“It is impossible to stop war because all efforts are vetoed by the aggressor or by those who approve of the aggressor,” he said.
Zelensky He repeated the Ukrainian position that the veto power belonged to the former Soviet Union – one of the victors of the Second World War after which the UN was born – and not to President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
(With information from Europa Press and AFP)
Source-www.infobae.com