The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal and the President of the European Council Charles Michel got acquainted with the current situation of the port of Odesa during a joint working trip on May 9.
Source: The Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal
The Head of the Ukrainian government stressed that the world was already experiencing the consequences of Russia’s war for global food security, as shipping on the Black Sea had been suspended since February 24.
“Some ships were forced to enter ports from external raids due to shelling, damage, and death of crew members. Currently, almost 70 ships are blocked in Ukrainian seaports, including 10 in the port of Odesa. The vast majority of ships are bulk carriers and vessels for the transportation of general cargo. 90 million tons of agricultural products that Ukraine planned to supply to Africa, Asia, and Europe have been blocked.”
According to the Prime Minister, some of the stocks were taken out by road and rail, while others are under fire or seized by the Russian military. Ukraine loses $ 170 million every day due to blocked ports, and our country’s export potential has fallen by more than half.
“Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s seaports has already led to a sharp rise in prices for wheat, corn, and sunflower oil on world markets. And despite the aggressor’s intentions to create a food crisis in the world, we must do everything together to prevent famine in some countries.”
