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WE WANT PEACE, NOT AT ANY PRICE -Ukrainian Ambassador 

& UKRAINE'S PALLIATIVE TO NIGERIA
- Matters Arising.

... Greetings your Excellency, nice to meet you. Straight to the point.

Ukraine recently donated Palliatives to Nigeria what motivated the gesture?

Well, the first thing I would like to mention is that, you know we already have brilliant relations with Nigeria and we want this relations deepened as much as possible.
The second thing I think is that, Ukraine knows very well how it feels when you face hardship, when you are in need, because we have faced similar situations.

Many people don't know much about our history, but Ukrainian population once experienced famine in 1930, so I think we understand how it feels having food shortages. That's the reason Ukrainian government and particularly our President launched the Humanitarian Support for food distribution in November 2022

It is a humanitarian programme. Grains Parliative from Ukraine is aimed at helping those countries in need, especially in Asia and African countries.

Before the war started, Russian military were in full control of the Black Sea Export Routes, Ukraine, Turkey used to make use of the route sequel to an understanding with the United nations, that everybody are free to do anything they want within the Black Sea Grain territory, but unfortunately Russia withdrew from this Black Sea Grain initiative in July 2023 and started attacking our seaports.

However, not long after some confrontations by our Navy and military with Russian feets, we established our own Sea routes for exports from Ukraine, and we are doing so right now without Russia.

Since the war started, Russia has continued to steal our grains, destroying our storages which our authorities calculated to be approximately 300,000 Tonnes of grains, destroyed by Russia.

...300,000 tonnes? That's really huge.

These grains could have been delivered as support to any country. The world is in need, and prices of grains are growing astronomically because of Russia's actions; and that is why we are calling on all Countries, especially those in Africa and Asia who are most affected by the rising cost of food prices, to take global action against Russia's food terrorism, yes, food terrorism!.

For now, since Russia withdrew its participation in the Black Sea Grain initiative, we have already delivered almost 30million tonnes of grain cargoes, if I'm not mistaking, to countries that are in hardship, through our own Black sea routes which we created.
More than 30 million tonnes of cargo have been exported by us from the ports of Ukraine to other countries; to Asia, Africa, Egypt, Kenya and even to Europe as well

To the surprise of may countries, our food grants is still on as our contribution to the maintenance of global food security, because you know that Ukraine has always been one of the countries that guarantees global food Security in the world and we will not renege in the process.

... That's applaudible.

In the process of of delivering the grants and palliatives from Ukraine initiative, we faced and still facing serious difficulties because of Russia's unlawful invasion of Ukraine and the military actions in the Black Sea.

During the first part of the war, Russia invaded and occupied a huge territory of our country, including the North part of Ukraine. They were bombarding Ukraine with missiles on our ports where grains were stored for export. Our Navy and Military, however rose to the occasion and managed to push back the Russian military fleet from the western part of the Black Sea. That our Navy's achievement as for me, was a brilliant result.

... Away from the Food grants, Support and Palliatives,
What do you expect from Nigeria at this period of unrest in Ukraine?

I would like our bilateral cooperation with Nigeria depened.
We will be grateful if Nigeria which is the largest country in Africa, that plays important role not only in Africa but also in the international  community, to be involved in the discussions of what is going on in Ukraine. We would appreciate if Nigeria supports us along the side likes of the United Nations and other international organisations.

Ukraine is currently working on organising a Global Peace Summit which is expected to be on, in the nearest future; Invitations are already been extended to many leaders of the world to participate in the Summit.

We want peace as any one else in the world, because we are suffering from insurgency; but at same time we are not ready for peace at just any price.
I hear people say we should stop fighting, but the issue is if Ukraine stops fighting, Ukraine's home will cease to be, but if Russia stops fighting, the war will be over.
Ukraine didn't start this war. Russia is presently occupying about 20% of Ukrainian's territorial territory, after the atrocities committed by them. Ukraine wants peace, but not at any price.

... What will you want United Nations do about the current war in Ukraine?

The main principles of the United Nation's charter should be upheld. One of the the cardinal principles of the United Nations is territorial integrity, to maintain peace among nations, but it does appear that the charter is not working. United Nations should do all they can to uphold the fundamental principles of its charter, to maintain territorial integrity! END.

...Tita Onyebuchi, Nze
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(Asst. National Secretary, NUJ)