PRESS RELEASE : Ukraine will continue to do everything to export grain, and the issue of ship safety depends on international partners who agreed with the Russian Federation – Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 25 July 2022.

Ukraine, for its part, will do everything necessary to ensure the export of agricultural products from its Black Sea ports, and the issue of the safety of ships of various countries depends on the United Nations and Turkey, which negotiated with the Russian Federation in this regard. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a conversation with media representatives following the negotiations with President of Guatemala Alejandro Giammattei Falla in Kyiv.

“The whole world saw that even 24 hours hadn’t passed as shelling and missile strikes at the seaports of Ukraine began. For our part, we have done everything, prepared everything, there is a corridor. Ukraine controls everything in our waters, it is only Ukraine that will carry out inspections in our waters. You know that we de-occupied our Zmiinnyi Island. This is a very important aspect for security control in relation to other grain transportation corridors,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The President noted that the relevant agreements recorded on July 22 in Istanbul were to be implemented in this format.

“We trust Turkey and the United Nations with whom we signed relevant documents regarding the export of grain, and they were supposed to talk about the safety of the ships of other countries, which, by the way, agreed to transport grain – wheat, barley, corn,” he said .

According to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it is now a matter for the UN and Turkey – how much they will be able to control the Russian Federation, which has shown that it can fire missiles even after agreements.

“This is, in principle, their attitude towards partners – the UN and Turkey,” the Head of State said.

The President emphasized that Ukraine will definitely start exporting grain to once again prove to the whole world that it is not the country that is blocking this process.

“These are the narratives that are spread today due to disinformation and fake information by the Russian side. Therefore, we will start exporting, and let the partners take care of security,” he said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again emphasized that Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea region will lead to famine on the African continent and in many Asian countries.

“We already know that even because of the fires that are currently taking place in Europe, there will be a large deficit and an increase in prices on the European continent,” he added.