United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived Wednesday morning in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, where he is scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the renewal of the grain export agreement from the country.
The secretary general is in Kiev. Later, he will meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the progress of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in all its aspects, as well as other relevant issues,» Guterres’ spokesman’s office said in a message circulated via Twitter.
This is Guterres’ third visit to the country since Russia launched its military offensive just over a year ago. After the trip ends Thursday, he will return to New York.
Ukrainian sources indicated on Tuesday that negotiations to extend the pact had already begun, albeit not directly with Russia. Ukraine has previously expressed its desire for the agreement to be extended for at least a year to ensure stability for exporters and importers and to include the port city of Mikolaiv in the south of the country.
The agreement reached in July 2022 between Moscow and Kiev to export grain is only in force until March 18, as set out in the last extension, but the UN insists that it needs to be extended again to ensure global food security.
The UN estimates that it has already allowed the export from three Ukrainian ports of some 23 million tons of goods, with an almost constant flow of inflows and outflows. The agreement ensures the safety of ships regardless of the fighting that continues to be waged by Russian and Ukrainian forces.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
