President Zelensky said partner countries pledged to send armed ships to Ukraine to protect the grain corridor in the Black Sea.
"We have reached an agreement with our partners and will organize escort missions at sea to ensure the safety of ships," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a food security conference in the capital Kiev on November 25.
He stressed that establishing and maintaining a grain corridor on the Black Sea is one of the important steps for Ukraine this year. President Zelensky said that a number of partners have pledged to send armed ships to Ukraine, and that they are expected to be delivered soon.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also announced on November 25 that the European Union (EU) will allocate 50 million euros for a rapid repair and upgrade program for port infrastructure in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at the Ukrainian grain conference in Kiev on November 25. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine
President Zelensky announced his intention to deploy additional air defense systems to the southern Odessa region thanks to a new agreement between Kiev and its allies. "This region will soon be protected by a very powerful air defense network. Ships and lives in Odessa are important for Ukraine," he said.
However, Mr. Zelensky admitted that Ukraine still lacks air defense capabilities, needs more support from partners and called for increasing defense industry production.
Russia announced in July that it was withdrawing from the Black Sea Grains Initiative. The deal, negotiated by the United Nations and Turkey and signed in Istanbul last year, allows Ukraine to export millions of tons of corn, wheat and other agricultural products by sea to world markets.
Moscow has criticized the West for not complying with an agreement to ease sanctions on Russian agricultural products and fertilizers.
The United Nations has warned that Russia's decision risks triggering a global food crisis that would hit poor countries hard. However, the Kremlin has stressed that it is ready to provide free grain to poor African countries after the deal is terminated.
The Ukrainian military has organized its own transport corridor across the Black Sea. Organizations and companies that want Ukraine to help on this route must accept the risks.
Thanh Danh (According to Kyiv Post, Reuters )
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