Oleksandr Kalenkov, President of Ukrmetalurgprom, considers it expedient for Ukraine not to focus on concluding another grain agreement with the occupiers but instead to take steps toward the complete lifting of the Ukrainian port blockade. In his opinion, if Russia wants to inspect Ukrainian ships it is also necessary to check Russian ships, mainly because the Russian Federation transports ten times more cargo than Ukraine through the Black Sea.
“When Ukraine’s ports were first blockaded, it was about getting at least something out. I don’t know who first proposed this format, but it’s not an agreement. It’s a forced step. This are unnatural even if Ukraine did not conclude any agreements with the Russian Federation and only with the UN and Turkey. From the beginning, it was necessary to talk with our international partners about the Russian Federation’s violation of maritime shipping laws. The main goal for Russia is to completely block sea trade with Ukraine, thereby affecting the country’s economy,” said Kalenkov.