EU News
 Printable version
|
Address to solidarity event for Ukraine on margins of WTO ministerial conference, Geneva
Address to solidarity event for Ukraine on margins of WTO ministerial conference, Geneva (12 June 2022).
"Check against delivery"
Thank you Valdis. Ministers, Deputy Minister Kachka,
It is my pleasure to join you here and share my solidarity. Today, our solidarity is more important than ever.
As we speak, Russia bombs the fields and farms of Ukraine.
Their army destroys stockpiles and storage facilities for grain.
Their navy blocks the Black Sea ports and trading routes.
These actions drive up food prices, push people into poverty, destabilise entire regions.
Russian propaganda puts the blame on the European Union and our sanctions. But let me be clear:
- Our sanctions do not target the agricultural sector in Russia.
- Our sanctions do not target the trade or transportation of Russian agricultural goods.
- our sanctions have not caused the rising cost of fertilisers.
It is Russia who put food security in danger, as a weapon of war.
The best way to rapidly improve global food security is to end the aggression against Ukraine.
The European Union calls on all WTO Members to support Ukraine in their time of need.
As Valdis outlined, we are providing strong export assistance, to get the grain out of Ukraine.
Very recently, the European Commission adopted a proposal to grant one year of open access for Ukrainian agricultural products to the EU market – duty-free and quota-free.
We call on WTO Members to do the same.
At this week's Ministerial Conference, finding solutions for food security is the critical objective for the European Union.
We support the call of Director-General Okonjo-Iweala for coordinated actions.
We will work for a multilateral food security package, including the exemption from export restrictions for the humanitarian purchases of the World Food Programme.
This should be the central pillar of the WTO's response to the current crisis.
Concluding remarks
Ministers, in the face of conflict, we must call on a spirit of co-operation, with Ukraine and with each other.
Russia wants to use food as a weapon of war. Let us come together and use food for the defence of peace.
Thank you.
Click here for the full press release
