Zelenskyy and the Egyptian president discussed the threat to food security
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The two leaders discussed the risks to Ukrainian food exports to Egypt, as well as to other countries in Africa and the Middle East, posed by the Russian war. They also discussed Russia’s attacks on cargo ships, energy cooperation, and diplomatic avenues for ending the war.
After the conversation with the Egyptian leader, Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine is one of Egypt’s largest food suppliers. Ukrainian products are also of great importance to many other countries in Africa and the Middle East.
However, due to the Russian war, these shipments are now under serious threat. This concerns not only the situation in Ukraine itself but also the security of the sea routes used to deliver Ukrainian food to other countries. “I am very grateful to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for his attention to the challenges of food security and the situation in our Black Sea region. I spoke with the president today, and it was a much-needed conversation,” Zelenskyy wrote.
The President of Ukraine emphasized that Russian attacks are already affecting supply volumes. According to him, the situation could have consequences not only for Ukraine. If food supplies are reduced, this could affect prices and the availability of food in countries that depend on imports.
Two Egyptian citizens were killed in Russian strikes
During the conversation, Zelenskyy also mentioned Russian attacks on cargo ships. He said that two Egyptian citizens were killed as a result of these strikes. The president expressed his condolences to al-Sisi and the Egyptian people. “I conveyed our condolences to the president. There is already a noticeable reduction in supplies, and this could have very unpleasant consequences due to rising prices and shortages,” Zelenskyy noted.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that the parties discussed not only the problem itself but also how to counter it. “Today we discussed how to counter this and protect lives. We are looking for solutions together,” Zelenskyy said.
Thus, the issue of maritime safety is of not only military but also economic importance for Ukraine and Egypt. The ability to deliver Ukrainian grain and other products to foreign consumers depends on the stable operation of maritime routes.
Ukraine and Egypt also discussed energy
Energy cooperation between the two countries was a separate topic of discussion. Zelenskyy did not specify all the details of possible agreements, but noted that the parties discussed the development of bilateral relations. This involves further cooperation between Ukraine and Egypt in several areas.
For Ukraine, Egypt is an important partner in Africa and the Middle East. Cairo, for its part, is interested in stable food supplies and the security of trade routes. Therefore, Russia’s war against Ukraine has a direct impact on Kyiv’s relations with countries far from the front lines.
Zelenskyy and Al-Sisi Discussed Ending the War
Another topic of discussion was diplomacy. Zelenskyy reported that during the conversation, the Egyptian president emphasized the need for a diplomatic solution to end the war. “We agreed that our teams will work through everything we discussed. And I would like to separately thank the president for his assessment that diplomacy must succeed in ending the war,” the Ukrainian head of state noted.
According to Zelenskyy, the teams from both countries are to work out the agreements reached during the conversation. Thus, the talks covered several issues important to both countries—ranging from the security of Ukrainian exports and food supplies to energy, bilateral cooperation, and diplomacy. At the same time, one of the main topics remains the impact of the Russian war on the Black Sea and the countries that depend on Ukrainian food. Zelenskyy wrote about this in a Telegram post.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that, following a briefing by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykhailo Drapaty, steps were identified to reinforce the Sloviansk and Kostiantynivka sectors.
