Video Address by President Alar Karis at the Grain From Ukraine Summit

Hunger cannot be a weapon of war.

Yet millions of people – women, men and children – around the world are feeling the impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The impact of its missile strikes, the blockade of the Ukrainian ports, mined fields, and disruption to food production significantly deepens global food insecurity and hunger.

We stand in solidarity with all efforts to ensure that food continues to reach those in need.

We underline the crucial role of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative in making sure that food products reach vulnerable people and countries around the world alongside the EU established Solidarity Lanes. It needs to be able to function effectively and in full.

Estonia is responding to humanitarian needs globally. This includes supporting food security. We have continued to support the World Food Programme, including its efforts to assist the people of Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria.

Ukraine itself has a memory of a deadly man-made Great Famine, Holodomor, that took the lives of millions of its people. Created by Stalin’s policies, the totalitarian system sought to erase the memory of the famine along with its victims.

Yet Ukraine remembers. And in the midst of defending its freedom, sovereignty and independence against a brutal attack it continues to reach out to those affected by hunger around the world.

We welcome its commitment, including the initiative launched today. We are glad to support it together with partners [through a contribution of 50 000 EUR] – to make sure that those most vulnerable in Africa and Asia do not pay the price of Russia’s war.

However, we all agree that the most effective way to reduce food insecurity and hunger is to make sure that the Russian aggression against Ukraine, an independent UN member state, ends and its perpetrators are brought to justice.

Thank you.

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