Ukraine President Urges NATO to Convene Meeting on Black Sea Security
July 22 (Reuters) – In a bid to address security concerns in the Black Sea region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has reached out to the head of NATO, urging the convening of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council. The main focus of the meeting would be to discuss the operation of a corridor for Ukrainian grain exports.
This comes after Russia recently pulled out of a U.N.-backed grain corridor deal, citing the failure of Western countries to meet its demands concerning Moscow’s food and fertilizer exports. Of significant concern is Russia’s warning that it could consider ships heading to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports as military targets.
President Zelenskiy discussed this matter with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during a telephone call, expressing the need to hold the council meeting without delay. The NATO-Ukraine Council, which was established during the recent NATO summit, presents an opportunity to address the security crisis in the Black Sea.
“In our cooperation, we have moved to a new, more advanced level, the NATO-Ukraine Council, and this mechanism can have an impact,” Zelenskiy said during his nightly video address. “I proposed to Jens that the council be convened without delay for relevant crisis consultations. The meeting will take place in the coming days. We can overcome the security crisis in the Black Sea.”
However, it remains unclear whether NATO has agreed to Zelenskiy’s proposal at this time.
The United Nations’ aid chief has also expressed concern over the situation, warning the U.N. Security Council that the spike in grain prices since Russia withdrew from the corridor deal “potentially threatens hunger and worse for millions of people.”
As the situation unfolds, it is crucial to address the security concerns in the Black Sea region to prevent further escalation and ensure the stability of grain exports, which are vital for the Ukrainian economy.
Reporting by Ron Popeski and Nick Starkov; Editing by Paul Simao
Reuters News