MP: Ukraine to guarantee financial security of vessels under grain deal, regardless of Russia's withdrawal

Ukraine has allocated UAH 20 billion to guarantee the financial security of ships transporting Ukrainian agricultural products under the grain deal.

Dmytro Solomchuk, a member of the Verkhovna Rada committee on agrarian and land policy, stated this at a briefing at Ukraine Media Center – Ukrinform.

"It was decided to allocate UAH 20 billion of insurance guarantee funds. Even if Russia does not guarantee security and is against the grain corridor, ships will be able to enter Ukrainian seaports. There are shipowners who are ready to enter anyway. Ukraine will guarantee their financial security with this UAH 20 billion insurance fund," he said.

Solomchuk noted that the leaders of different countries are currently negotiating the extension of the grain deal beyond July 18, 2023.

"I think that the decision will be made a day or two before the agreement expires. We hope that the decision will be positive, given that so many countries are involved in this process," the MP added.

As Ukrinform reported, on March 18, 2023, Ukraine, the UN, and Türkiye agreed to extend the Initiative for the Safe Transportation of Agricultural Products through the Black Sea. The agreement was extended for 120 days. But Russians claimed that the agreement would be valid until May 18, 2023.

On May 17, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration - Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, said that the agreement would be in effect until July 18, 2023.