On 2 March, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa held a meeting with Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Karl Skau, who is on a working visit to Ukraine.

Mariana Betsa expressed her gratitude to the foreign side for the significant contribution of the World Food Programme to addressing the consequences of the humanitarian crisis caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. “We particularly appreciate the WFP’s efforts to provide vital support to Ukrainian citizens in the affected frontline areas of our country who need it most. I am convinced that during your trip to the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, you were able to see for yourself the importance of ensuring the continued and smooth operation of the WFP in our country,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.

Thanks to joint efforts and the support of our partners, the WFP has managed to mobilize more than USD 1.8 billion to provide humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable segments of the population, as well as to carry out humanitarian demining and support Ukrainian villages.

The interlocutors discussed prospects for further cooperation within the framework of the Ukraine-initiated “Grain from Ukraine” programme, in particular in the context of its scaling up and transformation into the “Food from Ukraine” initiative.

Mariana Betsa and Karl Skau paid particular attention to the potential synergy of efforts in promoting the school meal reform initiative of Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska.

The Ukrainian side expressed its readiness to share the unique experience and technological know-how in order to expand this initiative to countries that need it most, particularly in Latin America and Africa.

Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their readiness to further strengthen the partnership between Ukraine and the WFP in order to overcome the humanitarian consequences of Russian aggression and enhance global food security.