FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country needs more air defense systems in order to protect the grain corridor that has been operational since Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July.
“ We still need a very specific number of systems with a very specific name. The request has been made. We have positive response when these systems start to protect that region. Because both the corridor and the people there are important ," Zelenskyy said at a press conference after the "Wheat from Ukraine" summit in Kyiv on Saturday.
Emphasizing that the grain corridor continued to function despite the challenges, Zelenskyy said that Russia has little influence over the corridor.
" We have a clear corridor and cooperation for its use with Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. We have an agreement with the United Kingdom, involved in securing this corridor" , he added.
Ukraine has agreements with several countries to escort ships with Ukrainian vessels, he said, adding that the country is already receiving naval vessels specifically for this purpose. Zelenskyy announced the extension of the "Wheat from Ukraine" food program, which he launched last November, saying that $100 million has already been raised towards its goals. The program aims to supply Ukrainian wheat to countries in Africa and Asia facing malnutrition and hunger.
On July 17, Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Agreement, saying that the Russian part of the agreement had not been implemented. She asked for the easing of banking restrictions and the ability to ship her trash before returning to the deal.
The agreement, originally signed in July last year in Istanbul by Turkey, the UN, Russia and Ukraine, was aimed at resuming wheat exports from Ukrainian ports disrupted by the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February of 2022. In August, Ukraine announced that temporary corridors had been established for commercial ships arriving and departing from the country's Black Sea ports.
Lini një Përgjigje