Zelenskyy welcomes "grain agreement" extension and announces new project

President Zelenskyy made the statements in his evening address.

"Our grain export initiative has been extended. Despite all the difficulties, despite Russia's various manipulations, we will continue to export agricultural products through our Black Sea ports. It holds quite a particular substance, since it makes the world see the importance of Ukraine," the president said.

He noted that since August 1, more than 450 ships have left the ports of Great Odesa, amounting to 11 tons of food.The export geography is very wide: Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, Lebanon, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and European Union states.

"Tens of millions of people, primarily in African countries, have been saved from hunger, in particular, by supplying provisions within the framework of the UN Food Program from our ports. We have also managed to reduce the tension on the global food market. And this means that food prices are significantly lower than they could have been without our food exports," the leader of Ukraine stated.

He also thanked the partners who are helping in ensuring grain export: the UN and Secretary General Guterres personally, Turkey and President Erdoğan personally and everyone in the Ukrainian team who is responsible for work in this direction.

Moreover, Zelenskyy announced another important food initiative, supported by the world's leading countries:

"Today, we have held a meeting in the Office regarding our Grain from Ukraine initiative. We have the support of such countries as Germany, Poland, Belgium, Japan, Turkey, and the USA. But these are the countries who have already made the decision to be involved. More countries will join. The idea is very simple and as explicit as possible. All the countries of the world, together with Ukraine, can ensure the supply of food to those in the world who suffer the most from food shortages. Soon we will provide more details on how it will function."

The Ukrainian leader said that Russian aggression should lead the whole world to an obvious conclusion: there should never be mass hunger in the world again. It is possible to overcome famine by joining global forces.