Zelensky: Ukraine, UN and Turkey can jointly ensure operation of grain corridor. VIDEO
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s address to the citizens of Ukraine at the end of the 509th day of the war with Russia.
The corresponding video was published by the presidential press service, Censor.NET reports.
"Ukraine's position has always been and will be as clear as possible: no one has the right to destroy the food security of any nation. If a handful of people somewhere in the Kremlin believe that they have the right to decide whether food will be on the tables in Egypt or Sudan, in Yemen or Bangladesh, in China or India, in Turkey or Indonesia... then the world has the opportunity to show that no one is allowed to blackmail anyone.
From the first day of its full-scale aggression, Russia has destroyed free navigation in the Black and Azov Seas. Russia has been firing missiles and drones at our ports, grain terminals, even elevators... The only possible consequence of this is the destabilisation of food markets and social chaos in countries that are critically dependent on food imports. Ukrainian food is basic security for four hundred million people...
Last year, the world responded correctly to the Russian threat to food security - together with Turkey and the UN, we launched the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Its results are telling: almost 33 million tonnes of agricultural products were exported to 45 countries.
Everyone has the right to stability... Africa has the right to stability. Asia has the right to stability. Europe has the right to stability. This means that we all have to care about security - about protecting ourselves from Russia's madness. The Black Sea Grain Initiative can and should continue to work - if without Russia, then without Russia. The agreement on grain exports - the agreement with Turkey and the UN - remains in force. The only thing that is needed now is its careful implementation. And the world's decisive pressure on the terrorist state.
I have sent official letters to Turkish President Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Guterres with a proposal to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its analogue in a trilateral format, as this is the most reliable way. Ukraine, the UN and Turkey can jointly ensure the operation of the food corridor and ship inspections. This is necessary for everyone in the world - and everyone who supports it will become a life saver in a vast area from Morocco to China, from Indonesia to Lebanon," Zelenskyy said.
