Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal thanked the neighboring countries of the European Union, which are ready for compromise and dialogue on the grain issue.

"We are sincerely grateful to our partners from the European Commission for coordinating the issue of the export of Ukrainian agricultural products. In the context of the Russian Black Sea blockade, with almost daily attacks on our granaries and ports. In conditions where the provision of our security and defense forces directly depends on our income, we need agricultural exports," Shmyhal said at a government meeting on Tuesday.

The prime minister stressed that talk that Ukrainian food harms Polish, Slovak or Hungarian farmers is speculation. "Our grain does not significantly affect prices in neighboring countries, while our farmers are in a much worse and more difficult situation than their Western colleagues. We do not and have never had a goal to harm farmers in neighboring countries," he added.

Shmyhal recalled that to resolve the "grain crisis," Ukraine presented its plan and the European Commission supported it. In particular, we are talking about the mechanism for verification and authorization of four types of agricultural products. According to the prime minister, on September 28 there will be the next meeting of the coordination platform on export and transit issues, where these proposals will be finalized so that the plan begins to take effect as quickly as possible.

"Four countries have worked through the Ukrainian plan, expressed their constructive comments and suggestions and are ready for discussion. And only one state is against it. Unfortunately... We have neither a logical nor an economic explanation for this," Shmyhal complained.

He also said that he signed a resolution on the introduction of a mechanism for verification and coordination of four groups of Ukrainian agricultural exports for five neighboring countries. "We are already preparing documents with Romania and Bulgaria for signing. These countries did not violate EU trade rules and the Association Agreement and did not impose unilateral restrictions. Thank you for this, Ukraine really values responsible partnership. We are grateful to all neighbors who are open to compromise. In turn, we are always ready to engage in constructive dialogue. It is for dialogue, and not for political games, where the stakes are too high – our unity and our solidarity," the prime minister emphasized.

"Therefore, I once again urge you to be the only ones in defending our common values, in defending our common future, in defending our common European home," Shmyhal concluded.