UA
FR
DEA meeting with Director-General of the World Trade Organisation Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was held at the Office of the President of Ukraine. The parties discussed the involvement of the WTO in the implementation of the second point of the Ukrainian Peace Formula entitled “Food security.”
As the President’s Office informs, the main topic of the meeting was the protection of free trade, particularly in the Black Sea region, which is under threat due to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Andriy Yermak, Head of the President’s Office, pointed to Russia‘s deliberate destruction of Ukraine’s transport and agricultural infrastructure and the blockade of Ukrainian ports, which Russia is using to disrupt the flow of goods, primarily the supply of Ukrainian agricultural products, and to conduct food blackmail.
“Russia’s actions pose a direct threat to food security and violate the freedom of trade, particularly in the Black Sea,” Yermak emphasised.
In this context, he proposed considering the possibility of involving the World Trade Organization in the implementation of the second point of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, entitled “Food Security.”
According to the Head of the President’s Office, WTO’s authority and its influence on international trade can play an important role in the implementation of this point.
The parties agreed to make efforts to restore full exports from Ukraine, bolster food security in the world, in particular through the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian initiative, increase the role of the WTO in restoring peace in Ukraine, and overcome poverty and hunger in the world.
As a reminder, Russia stopped its participation in the grain deal, which allows Ukrainian grain exports from the Black Sea ports. The other day, the Russian military seized the Sukra Okan cargo ship and searched it. The ship was heading to the Ukrainian port of Izmayil.
Bohdan Marusyak
