This is stated in a video address by President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrinform reports.
"Our grain export initiative has been operating for seven months already. Over this time, 43 countries have already received more than 22 million tons of food through our sea exports. This is a significant Ukrainian contribution to global food security and stabilization of the global food market," said the president.
According to the Ukrainian leader, if it was not for this initiative, there would be political and social chaos in some countries of Africa and Asia, and the cost of living crisis various nations experienced last year would be much more acute.
"But if this initiative of ours had worked at full capacity, if Russia had not tried to slow it down, we would have been able to export more food products. That is, there would be significantly more guarantees of food security in the world," Zelensky emphasized.
"Our partners know exactly what Russia's deliberate actions are undermining food security. Still we are working to provide the necessary stability," the president said.
In addition, according to Zelensky, food exports by sea benefit Ukraine as well. "About a million Ukrainians work in industries related to agricultural production. And for them, the fact that we unblocked maritime exports last year is a guarantee of personal and family social security," said the head of state.
As reported by Ukrinform, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy expects that the "grain agreement" will be extended in March.
