Amid a growing food crisis sparked by disrupted grain exports from Ukraine and Russia, the EU's ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas told FRANCE 24 that exports by land more than doubled between April and May, from 600,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes.
Maasikas spoke after the president of the African Union, Macky Sall, called on Ukraine to de-mine the port of Odesa to facilitate sea exports. Reacting to this, the ambassador said that Ukrainian authorities were "willing" to have discussions, but that "there are several military and technical issues, precautions and guarantees that should be in place. But from the Ukrainian point of view it cannot be started like 'first you de-mine and then we'll see'... the Ukrainians are afraid that this will be used by the Russian navy".
The ambassador also discussed the ongoing difficulties of communicating with people in the Russian-occupied east of Ukraine; the situation of Ukrainian refugees crossing into EU states; reports of discrimination against non-Ukrainians trying to flee the country; and Ukraine's prospects of joining the European Union.
Produced by Georgina Robertson, Sophie Samaille, Isabelle Romero and Perrine Desplats
