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ports. "This logistics route will play an important role in bilateral trade even after the war," emphasized the Minister of Economy, Yuliya Svyridenko.
Ukrainian entrepreneurs need diplomatic support to export to 16 countries. These companies are in the food, dairy, beverage, textile, furniture, cosmetic, and IT industries informs the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Nazovni service. The largest number of requests for diplomatic support is observed for the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Romania, the US, France, the Czech Republic, and Sweden. During its 20 months of operation in Ukraine, the international platform Nazovni received 6,600 requests for export promotion from 1,500 Ukrainian companies. At the same time, it was possible to sign more than 70 export contracts with foreign partners. As a reminder, Nazovni is a service that works with Ukrainian entrepreneurs who want to export. The platform provides diplomatic assistance to Ukrainian exporters in foreign markets.
● Products
Poland and Lithuania will discuss the transit of Ukrainian grain. It is expected that, during a meeting on October 2, Lithuania will take over the phytosanitary inspections of grain cargoes that are transiting through Poland from Ukraine. These inspections will take place in Lithuanian ports. "We in Poland will stamp and control passage through our country, and Lithuania wants to carry out phytosanitary inspections," said Polish Minister of Agriculture Robert Telus. Negotiations between Poland and Ukraine should begin after Poland and Lithuania agree on the details. It is expected that through changes in procedures, it will be possible to export more Ukrainian grain through Poland, which has become an even more urgent need after Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and systematic shelling of southern ports.
Russian attacks have reduced the export of Ukrainian grain through the Danube ports by 3mn tonnes per month. As the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov, said, this threatens food shortages in countries that depend on Ukrainian agricultural products. According to him, since July 18 105 port infrastructure facilities have been damaged or partially destroyed due to Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports. As a result of the strikes on the ports of the Danube cluster and the seaport blockade, the export of grain to the countries of Asia, Africa, and Europe was reduced by almost 3mn tonnes per month. "The ports of the Danube cluster are currently the only waterway for Ukrainian agricultural exports. If powerful air defence systems do not protect it, the consequences will be greater, Kubrakov emphasized. Still, Russia continues to attack Ukrainian infrastructure. On the night of September 13, the aggressor country attacked Reni and Izmail in the Odesa region with attack drones.
Russian attacks on ports and elevators have reduced Ukraine's ability to export grain by 33%. A British government communiqué noted that Russian strikes since July have damaged or destroyed at least 26 civilian port infrastructure facilities, warehouses, silos, and elevators, reducing Ukraine's export capacity by about a third. This amount of grain would be enough to meet the needs of about one million people for a year. Britain's intelligence agency said alternative grain export routes are unlikely to match the Black Sea route. "Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative led to a reduction in Ukrainian exports, which is an obvious effort aimed at degrading the Ukrainian economy and its ability to support military efforts," the intelligence officers noted. At the same time, Britain carried out observation and reconnaissance flights in the Black Sea with the aim of "deterring Russia from illegal strikes on civilian ships transporting grain.” Due to this, Britain is preparing to hold a summit on November 20 of countries that suffer from high product prices due to the war unleashed by Russia.
39 UKRAINE Country Report October 2023 www.intellinews.com