On 6 July, 2026 Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa held a meeting with Acting Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Karl Skau, who is in Ukraine on a working visit.

“We greatly appreciate WFP's unwavering support, as well as the fact that this is your second visit to Ukraine in 2026 amid the ongoing Russian aggression, and that you plan to visit the frontline areas of Ukraine in person, where WFP assistance is needed most today,” mentioned Mariana Betsa.

During the meeting, the parties focused primarily on the security of WFP humanitarian operations in the frontline areas of Ukraine, ways of strengthening the Programme’s presence in our country, and the prospects for its further involvement in the implementation of Ukraine’s global initiatives, in particular Food from Ukraine” programme and the initiative by Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska School Nutrition Reform.

The interlocutors also discussed Russia’s systematic attacks on UN humanitarian operations, in particular on WFP staff, humanitarian consignments, and storage facilities. In May 2026 alone, the Programme’s losses as a result of attacks by the Russian Federation amounted to approximately USD 1.5 million. Mariana Betsa emphasised that such actions by Russia were unacceptable, constituted a gross violation of international humanitarian law, and called on WFP to respond decisively.

For his part, Karl Skau confirmed WFP’s readiness to continue supporting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people by ensuring an uninterrupted humanitarian response and helping to address the consequences of Russian aggression.