Zelensky Calls for Ukraine-NATO Council Meeting Amid Russian Aggression in the Black Sea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Jens Stoltenberg, to convene an urgent meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council in response to Russia's aggressive actions in the Black Sea.
Zelensky said this in his video address.
"We talked (with Stoltenberg - ed.) about the security situation now, in particular Russia's aggressive steps in the Black Sea. Any destabilisation in this region, disruption of our export routes will mean problems with consequences for everyone in the world. A price crisis is the least of the possible consequences," the Ukrainian president said.
Furthermore, Zelensky emphasized that the new format of the Council has allowed Ukraine to enhance communication with its Western partners. "I proposed to Jens to urgently convene this Council for appropriate crisis consultations. The meeting will take place in a few days. We can overcome the security crisis in the Black Sea," added Zelensky.
It is worth noting that on Monday, July 17, Russia unilaterally withdrew from the so-called grain agreement, which facilitated the export of Ukrainian grain from the ports of Ukraine, blocked by the Russian military since February 24, 2022. Many countries, particularly from Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, are heavily dependent on agricultural products from Ukraine.
In addition, Russia announced its intention to destroy all ships moving towards Ukrainian ports. The international community strongly condemned this move, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calling it "cynical."
Immediately after Russia's announcement regarding the grain agreement, the Kremlin intensified missile strikes on Ukrainian port cities, including Odesa and Mykolaiv, resulting in the destruction of Ukrainian grain and the cities themselves, where hundreds of thousands of civilians reside.
According to the Operational Command South, during the last night, Russia launched missile attacks with 5 types of missiles, including "Kalibr," "Oniks," "Iskander-K," "Kh-22," and "Iskander-M," but many missiles were successfully intercepted by the Ukrainian Air Defense Forces.
"Other missiles caused destruction to the port infrastructure and at least 6 residential buildings, including multi-story buildings. Dozens of cars were destroyed, facades and roofs of many buildings damaged, and windows shattered. A Ukrainian Orthodox Church cathedral was severely damaged by a direct hit from a Russian missile. Two architectural landmarks were also affected," the report mentioned.
Currently, one person has been reported dead, and 19 others injured, including four children. Eleven adults and three children were hospitalized, while others are receiving outpatient treatment.