PM Shmyhal calls on Iraq to put pressure on Russia to continue ‘grain initiative’

At a meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal emphasized the need for international pressure on Russia to continue the "grain initiative" and Ukrainian grain exports from the Black Sea ports.

As Ukrinform reports with reference to the Government Portal, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

"In cooperation with the UN, we have achieved an opportunity to export Ukrainian grain, in particular to countries in Asia and Africa, which need it the most. 200 ships have already left Ukrainian ports, and we call on all countries to continue putting pressure on Russia at the international level to prevent it from derailing the initiative. This is rather critical in the issue of ensuring global food security," Shmyhal said.

For his part, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi noted that Iraq supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and advocated the continuation of the Ukrainian grain exports.

According to the Prime Minister of Iraq, good relations have developed between the two countries in the field of education and economy, and they strive to develop them further. Moreover, Iraq stands ready to continue providing humanitarian support for Ukrainians.

Shmyhal emphasized that Ukraine appreciated the diplomatic efforts of Iraq within the Arab League’s contact group regarding the situation in Ukraine, aimed at ending the war unleashed by the Russian Federation. The PM of Ukraine expressed hope that Iraq would continue to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, in particular within the framework of the UN.

As Shmyhal noted, Iraq is an important and promising partner, and Ukraine is interested in continuing mutually beneficial cooperation in various spheres of the economy. In particular, one of the common interests of the countries may be the participation of Iraqi businesses in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

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