Croatian Ports Begin Exporting Ukrainian Grain
During a bilateral meeting at the Three Seas Initiative summit in Bucharest, Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic discussed, among other matters, the opening of new trade routes for the export of Ukrainian grain.
This information comes from the press service of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.
Given that Russia continues to launch missile strikes on grain infrastructure along the Black Sea coast, this development significantly expands the options for Ukrainian grain exports.
"Ukrainian grain is already being exported through Croatian ports. We appreciate this opportunity. While this trade route may be niche, it is gaining popularity, and we are ready to develop it further, expanding the transport corridor. We believe that this logistical route will play an important role in bilateral trade between our countries, even after the war," summarized Yulia Svyrydenko.
Additionally, the two parties discussed the importance of jointly addressing export restrictions for Ukrainian agricultural products.
Furthermore, they raised the issue of expediting the localization of equipment for demining to begin its production at domestic enterprises as soon as possible. They also discussed preparations for a demining conference scheduled to take place in Zagreb in October. This significant event aims to coordinate the efforts of international partners committed to demining in Ukraine.
"One of Ukraine's most crucial tasks in the near future is landmine clearance and the return of potentially contaminated land to productive use. The speed of this process will impact both post-war recovery and the future development of the national economy. Therefore, we are grateful to all partners who assist Ukraine in addressing this issue," emphasized Yulia Svyrydenko.
In turn, Andrej Plenkovic offered assistance to Ukraine in investigating war crimes, as Croatia has considerable expertise in this area. This proposal involves sharing Croatia's knowledge and expertise in establishing institutions for special prosecutors and police units responsible for investigating crimes committed during the conflict.
As previously reported by The Gaze, during bilateral negotiations between the foreign ministers of Croatia and Ukraine, the parties agreed on the export of Ukrainian agricultural products through Croatian ports on the Danube and the Adriatic Sea.
To recap, in July 2022, the United Nations, Ukraine, and Turkey signed an agreement for the export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea to help address the global food crisis triggered by Russia's war against Ukraine.
In July 2023, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, announced Russia's unilateral withdrawal from the grain agreement between Russia, Turkey, and the United Nations. Following the agreement's termination, the Russian Federation initiated systematic airstrikes on port infrastructure to halt Ukrainian agricultural exports.
Furthermore, after leaving the agreement, which guaranteed safe passage for exports through the Black Sea, Russia declared that any vessel heading to Ukrainian ports could be considered a military target.