Russia ready to extend grain deal by 60 days

Zelensky: Must support Ukrainian agriculture

According to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian government is looking for ways and means of actively supporting agriculture in the second year of the war. “This is the second sowing in wartime,” said Zelensky on Monday in his nightly video address. “Over the past year, thanks to the heroic efforts of our farmers and all workers in the agricultural sector, it has been possible to maintain agricultural production and Ukraine’s global role as a guarantor of food security.” Before the war, Ukraine was one of the main grain suppliers in the world.

Thanks to an agreement between the warring parties brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, Ukraine was recently able to export grain by sea. This grain agreement, which expires on March 18, is currently facing a possible extension, although for the time being Russia has only agreed to extend the deadline by another 60 days. Russia initially blocked grain exports via the Ukrainian Black Sea ports in February 2022, but the agreement was later reached.

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian agriculture also suffers from another war-related problem. “To date, more than 170,000 square kilometers of our territory are at risk from enemy mines and unexploded ordnance,” Zelensky said. “A large part of this area is our farmers’ land.”

At its meeting on Monday, the Ukrainian government discussed possible measures to speed up demining, Zelensky said. Among other things, cooperation with foreign partners is to be intensified. Germany is already involved in mine clearance programs in Ukraine with financial support and also militarily by supplying armored mine clearance vehicles.


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