Ukraine says in talks with UN over humanitarian corridor for food exports

Kyiv - The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Kyiv is holding talks with the United Nations (UN) and other partners on the establishment of a humanitarian corridor for the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.

"Ukraine is investing all efforts in the unblocking of Ukrainian seaports to prevent a global food crisis," the ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine needs effective security guarantees to restore navigation in the Black Sea, including weapons to protect the coastline from threats from the sea and involving third countries' navies to patrol the relevant part of the sea, the ministry said.

Ukraine appreciates Turkey's efforts aimed at unblocking Ukrainian ports, the ministry said, adding that no agreement between Ukraine, Turkey and Russia on the issue has been achieved yet.

Ukraine has already started supplying grain to the world market by trucks, railway and river transport, the ministry said.

The supplies of Ukrainian grain to the global market have been affected in the recent months due to the blockade of Ukrainian ports by the Russian military.

In 2021, Ukraine harvested a record crop of grain, legumes and oilseeds totaling more than 106 million tons. In the first half of the current marketing year, which lasts from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, Ukraine exported some $10 billion worth of crops and oilseeds, up 56 percent on an annual basis, Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported in late May, citing data from the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club.