Grain from Ukraine programme has saved 20 million people from hunger – Zelenskyy

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — Saturday, 23 November 2024, 16:52

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that 20 million people have been saved from hunger since the launch of the Grain from Ukraine programme.

Source: Zelenskyy's speech at the Third International Grain from Ukraine Conference, as reported on the President's website

Quote: "Overall, during the operation of our Grain From Ukraine program, we have managed to save 20 million people from hunger. And this is solely due to one of our humanitarian programs.

In total, Ukraine's food exports feed 400 million people in 100 countries of the world.

Ukraine is one of the world's largest contributors to food security. And we maintain this status despite everything. Despite this colonial challenge from the Russian Federation."

Details: The President reiterated that one of the full-scale invasion’s components was the blockade of Ukrainian ports by the Russian fleet, among other things.

"And Russia was well aware of the consequences of this. They wanted those consequences, of course, the terrible outcome for the whole world – not just for Ukraine. They wanted global food prices to rise," Zelenskyy said.

In his opinion, Russia's motives are not just about the desire for more profits, but primarily about power: "If they can create a food catastrophe, it means they can subjugate a nation that is dependent on food imports – any food."

Zelenskyy noted that during the operation of the Black Sea food export corridor alone, from July 2023 to November 2024, 321 Ukrainian port infrastructure facilities were damaged by Russian missiles and Iranian drones. More than 20 foreign civilian vessels were damaged. More than 60 targeted strikes have been carried out by the Russians on food infrastructure.

"Through this war against Ukraine, Russia has shown that there are no truly distant countries in the world. Everything in the world is now strongly interconnected. There is no distance. There is none," Zelenskyy said.

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