Despite the rocket attack on one of the vessels in the port of Odessa, the sea corridor is working, but similar precedents affect the cost of freight and the willingness of participants in the world grain market to work with Ukraine, said Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskyi on the air of a single national telethon.
"First of all, it (the sea corridor - IF-U) is functioning. Secondly, this is a bad precedent that affects the cost of freight, the readiness of traders, other participants of the grain market in Ukraine and outside Ukraine, who buy grain from us, to work with Ukraine," he said.
Solskyi also noted that no one ruled out such a scenario: both traders and ship owners. The minister recalled that when the first rockets hit the ports of Izmail and Reni, there were also certain concerns. However, later everyone learned to work in such conditions.
"Both Reni and Izmail have been facing such problems from time to time for the past few months. That's why we understand that Odessa and Odessa ports need to be protected. No one stopped. Everyone continues to do this (export and port protection - IF-U). The processes are improving day by day," Solsky noted and assured that Ukraine will continue to export food to world markets.
Commenting on the blockade of the Ukrainian-Polish border by Polish carriers, the minister emphasized that this problem is significant and has consequences for both Ukraine and Poland. However, in his opinion, it is not worth talking about the development of the crisis yet.
"If it (the problem - IF-U) is not solved, then it will develop in a bad direction, it can get out of control and create a more significant problem," he said.
The minister reported that negotiations between Ukraine and Poland continue every day at all levels, from the ambassador to the leadership of the two countries.
Solsky advised to understand that behind the blockade is a small number of carriers represented by one association. The problem is not created by the Polish government. At the same time, other associations of Polish carriers have a different opinion. There is pluralism of opinion in democratic Poland, the minister reminded.
The Minister of Agricultural Policy noted that the process of forming a coalition and government continues in Poland after the elections. According to him, the choice of time for the border picketing is "not quite good", since there should be a dialogue between the strikers and the government in the country, and then negotiations between the countries should continue.
He assessed the demands of the strikers as "quite specific" and those to which "it is difficult to find constructive solutions".
"The position of the Ukrainian government is obvious: we are in a war situation. Such things negatively affect everything that moves across the border (...). At the same time, we are always open to negotiations with all our neighbors, especially with Poland," - summed up Solsky