Having reached its second edition this year, the International Summit on Food Security in Kyiv was held at the end of last week, highlighting the importance of the humanitarian program titled „Ukrainian Grain”, launched by president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2022. Attending were high-ranking officials from 30 states, including the USA, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Great Britain, representatives of the EU, UN and the Gulf Cooperation Council. In an online intervention, Romania’s Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu mentioned Romania’s key role in facilitating the export of Ukrainian grain via solidarity lanes created at the level of the European Union. The Romanian official reiterated Romania’s solidarity with Ukraine, congratulating his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, for the excellent cooperation focusing on expanding land, rail, river and maritime connections between Ukraine and Romania.
60% of Ukraine’s total grain exports used solidarity lanes, and Romania played a capital role in this respect, the Prime Minister said. Over the coming period, Ukraine seeks to extend its transport capacity with the help of international partners and the EU, Marcel Cioalcu went on to say. The Romanian official strongly criticized Russia’s illegal and unwarranted attacks in Ukraine, which he described as war crimes. He also condemned the Russian bombing in Ukraine, close to Romania’s borders, which affects the transport of grain to international markets. Last month, Marcel Ciolacu paid a visit to Kyiv, signing a memorandum for the consolidation of cooperation regarding the transit of Ukrainian grain. The document also lays out a strategy for the development of road infrastructure and joint border crossing points.
The European Commission hailed the agreement, which confirms Romania’s constant support for Ukraine in its efforts to export its agricultural and industrial output, a major source of income for the war effort. „Romania has a pivotal role in the functioning of the Solidarity Lanes and is engaging constructively with all the parties concerned, including through the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes Joint Coordination Platform. The Commission encourages such close cooperation between the EU Member States and Ukraine”, the European Commission wrote at the time.
(Ștefan Stoica, Radio Romania International)
