President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that diplomatic efforts are underway to secure decisions regarding the safety of food transportation through the Black Sea.
During his evening video address on Friday, Sept. 4, the president thanked partners in the Middle East and North Africa for their attention to the food security issues stemming from Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports.
Zelensky emphasized the necessity of securing maritime food transport, framing it as a matter of social security for dozens of countries.
According to the president, Ukraine is engaging with nations capable of influencing the situation to propose diplomatic options that could prevent a food crisis, rising living costs, and subsequent social unrest.
“We are preparing decisions on this, and I am grateful, in particular, to the President of Egypt for his constructive approach,” Zelensky said.
“There was a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine today; we discussed all the details. We also spoke with Turkey, the Emirates, and Saudi Arabia regarding export corridors and food security.”
Alternative rail transit negotiations with Moldova
Zelensky’s diplomatic push follows ongoing efforts to establish alternative export routes amid intensified Russian strikes on southern agricultural infrastructure.
Ukraine relies on seaports for over 90% of its grain exports. Following a series of attacks on facilities in the Odesa region, Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi previously announced a reduction in the grain export forecast for the 2026-27 season from 43 million metric tons down to 38-40 million metric tons.
Agricultural consultancy APK-Inform similarly lowered its forecast by 8.6% to 39.4 million tons.
To mitigate these disruptions, Kyiv has formally requested a 50% discount on rail freight rates from Moldova to transit grain to Romania’s port of Constanta.
A source at Moldovan Railways confirmed the request, noting that the two sides are currently discussing transit volumes and timing. Under the proposed arrangement, Ukraine would guarantee a specific volume of cargo in exchange for the reduced rates.
Former Moldovan Railways chief Oleg Tofilat estimated the rail route could handle approximately 4.5 million metric tons of grain annually, accounting for roughly 10% of Ukraine’s exports.
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan recently endorsed the initiative, stating on television that Chisinau should capitalize on the transit revenue. Tofan dismissed concerns from domestic farmers regarding market competition, stating they should not “look for enemies in places where there are none.”