Podolyak: Ukraine does its best to ensure that its grain reaches those who need it

Ukraine will continue to do its best so that Ukrainian grain reaches everyone who needs it today, Mykhailo Podolyak, an Advisor to the Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, told Report's East European Bureau.

"One way or another, Ukraine will continue to fulfill its obligations to Turkiye and the UN and do everything possible so that Ukrainian grain reaches everyone who needs it today. We are well aware of all the risks. But for us, the situation does not change fundamentally- we will not let Russian ships into our territorial waters, and, if necessary, we will use force. And Turkiye and the UN undertook to ensure the security of loading grain on ships of third countries and the security of exporting grain."

Commenting on the shelling of the port of Odesa by Russia a day after the signing of a grain export deal in Istanbul, Podolyak noted that Turkiye and the UN would have to explain to Russia through their channels why the world is shocked by such cynical behavior:

"Today, we fight for independence but feel a great responsibility towards the African and Middle Eastern world. Ukraine, like no one else, knows what an artificial famine is and will not allow it to be repeated anywhere in the world."

According to him, Ukraine is well aware of all the risks that arise in the global food markets due to a shortage of grain:

"While Ukraine is ready to fulfill all its obligations to international partners, Russia, on the contrary, provoked a crisis and used it for its own purposes, creating additional instability in different regions. And continues to do so. Understanding the real motives of the Russian Federation for the blockade of the Black Sea, we never had any illusions about the real price of the promises of the representatives of the Russian Federation. Russia always says one thing and does another. Often resorting to provocations deliberately. Therefore, Ukraine did not sign any documents with Russia in Istanbul. It is important to emphasize that we do not have any direct agreements. We have direct agreements only with Turkiye and the UN, which relate specifically to the transshipment and transportation of Ukrainian grain. Russia, in parallel with us, assumed mirror obligations with the so-called 'additions in terms of security.' These include, among other things, security guarantees for transport routes and grain transshipment sites in three ports of Ukraine, as well as an obligation not to strike at our port infrastructure."

Podolyak noted that by violating the agreement the day after the signing, Moscow struck not at Ukraine but first of all, at the intermediary parties:

"This, in my opinion, is an unconditional blow to the reputation of Turkiye and the UN because it was these countries that guaranteed the fulfillment of certain conditions of transportation by Russia."