Austria pledges additional EUR 2M for Grain from Ukraine initiative

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said this during a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Vienna on Wednesday.

"We are ready to support the Grain from Ukraine initiative with another EUR 2 million through the Austrian Development Agency to mitigate the impact of Putin's war on global food security," he said.

The Austrian minister said that the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine extend far beyond Ukraine.

"Ukraine is a key player in ensuring food security. Putin is not only attacking the Ukrainian people but is also cynically disregarding the needs of millions who rely on Ukrainian grain," Schallenberg said.

The minister added that Austria's support for Ukraine and its people remains unwavering.

Schallenberg said that Austria had already provided EUR 264 million in bilateral aid to Ukraine, focusing on humanitarian and financial assistance. Recently, Austria announced an additional €8 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including EUR 5 million for humanitarian demining under the World Food Program (WFP) and EUR 3 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF, and UNFPA to assist Ukraine and Moldova, which has hosted many displaced Ukrainians.

"We realize that this is just another step and more contributions will be essential as the Ukrainians face the third brutal winter of the war," Schallenberg said.

The Grain from Ukraine initiative, launched by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on November 26, 2022, unites dozens of nations and organizations to combat global hunger. The program facilitates direct purchases of Ukrainian grain by donor countries, which is then delivered to regions at risk of famine. The United Nations World Food Program oversees the initiative's coordination.