Ukraine priotitizes restoring shipping in the Black Sea to pre-war levels and asks for new air defense systems to increase its exports.

Ukraine’s Black Sea grain corridor is performing better than expected, but stronger air defenses are needed to quicken ship loading and improve port protection, said Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov.

According to him, Ukraine has exported almost 10 million tons of goods, mainly grain, through the ports since August. However, the volume of exports is lower than last year. Given that financial aid to Ukraine has slowed down, Ukraine’s economy needs to ensure that its grain and oil crops reach world markets. The security of the shipping passage through the Black Sea is vital to achieving this goal.

According to Kubrakov, since drone and missile strikes continue, the protection of the port infrastructure in the south of the Odesa region remains a key point for the security of the shipping corridor. This can be achieved by more modern air defense and F-16 fighters.