EU is in contact with Ukraine regarding a €220 million grant for farmers and is monitoring the situation in the Black Sea amid Russia's attacks
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine has appealed to the EU for a grant of approximately €220 million for farmers. The European Commission confirmed that it had received the request and is monitoring the blockade of the Black Sea.
The EU has received a request from Ukraine for a grant of approximately 220 million euros for farmers amid Russian attacks and is in close contact with the Ukrainian side regarding it, while also closely monitoring the situation in the Black Sea and the blockade caused by Russian shelling, European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said during a briefing on Thursday, UNN writes.
Details
"I believe it is important to reaffirm that the EU is fully committed to continuing to support Ukraine's access to international markets. Ukraine needs to maintain its export potential for agri-food products, which is crucial for Ukraine's economy as well as for global food security," said Louise Bogi, the European Commission spokesperson for agriculture and taxation.
According to her, in order for the European Commission to have a clear understanding of the impact on the market and possible next steps regarding support for Ukraine, a number of factors need to be taken into account:
- "first, we need to see how the harvest progresses in Ukraine in the coming months";
- "second, we need to see how this aligns with storage availability";
- "and third, we need a clear overview of export logistics, including Black Sea routes and the current functionality of the Solidarity Lanes".
"Regarding trade between the EU and Ukraine, the revised free trade area between the EU and Ukraine continues to offer a stable and reciprocal trade regime, providing predictability for both EU farmers and Ukrainian farmers. Trade data currently demonstrate the fair and balanced nature of the updated agreement," Bogi said.
When asked whether anything additional was expected regarding the Solidarity Lanes and quotas, the European Commission spokesperson said: "I can confirm that we need to further analyze various aspects, the progress of the harvest, and gain a clear understanding of the logistics. (...) I cannot give you any specific deadlines for now, but we still need to analyze this, and then we, we will find specific solutions".
"Regarding the request for a grant of 220 million euros for Ukrainian farmers, we can confirm receipt of the request," Bogi said.
"Indeed, we received a request from the Ukrainian authorities for a grant of approximately 220 million euros. So Ukraine explained to us in the request how this grant could be used and how it will be used," Guillaume Mercier, the European Commission spokesperson for enlargement, international partnerships and the Mediterranean, also confirmed.
"It is very important to note that, in parallel, we are closely monitoring the situation in the Black Sea and the blockade caused by Russian shelling. We are also assessing the consequences this has for agriculture and the economy in general; as you know, we maintain regular contact with our Ukrainian counterpart," the spokesperson said.
"I can only confirm, for example, that the EU delegation recently met with Ukraine's agriculture minister, and we are continuing discussions with the Romanian, Moldovan and other authorities, as well as companies, to assess the situation regarding alternative transport routes through the \"Solidarity Lanes\", and we have already provided substantial support to Ukraine's agricultural sector in a comprehensive manner," Mercier added.
"We are also in close contact with the Ukrainian authorities in the context of this request. I do not have any clear deadlines, as I have already said: close contact, and then we will see," he concluded.