Ukraine will receive sea boats to escort ships along the grain corridor in the Black Sea, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said and added that there are already corresponding agreements with partners.
“I have agreements with several states regarding powerful escort [of the vessels] by Ukrainians, but on different equipment, on a convoy. That is, they will hand over and are already handing over the corresponding sea boats to us,” he said at a press conference Grain from Ukraine with the presidents of Switzerland, Latvia and the Prime Minister of Lithuania in Kyiv on Saturday.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is making every effort to ensure the safety of ships in the Black Sea, as well as in Odesa region. In particular, as he noted, “there are already agreements and a positive signal from partners regarding air defense systems.”
“Because there the corridor is important, and our people. Our people in Odesa region are important to us, very important. There is a shortage of air defense, you know this, this is not a secret, but nevertheless. There is a very specific required number of systems and very specific names. This request [for systems] exists. I’ll tell you frankly, the answer is positive – when these systems begin to protect that region.
“That is, it is important that there is an agreement, there is a positive signal, the corridor is working. And we will increase the volume and security in Odesa region,” the President said.