For the third time in a year, the UN chief met with Zelensky and said this

　　China News Service, March 9th. According to the United Nations website, on the 8th local time, UN Secretary-General Guterres arrived in Kiev and met with Ukrainian President Zelensky.

This is Guterres' third visit to Ukraine since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, and the issue of the Black Sea food agreement has become the focus of both sides' attention.

On March 8 local time, the Secretary-General of the United Nations visited Kiev and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Photo source: Ukrainian President Zelensky's office social media

Extending food export deal 'vital'

　　Zelensky posted a video of the press conference between the two on social media and expressed his gratitude to Guterres and the United Nations.

　　Guterres said at a press conference that the continuation of the Black Sea food agreement, as well as efforts to create the conditions to maximize the use of Black Sea export infrastructure in line with the goals of the initiative, are crucial.

　　He said the deal would help reduce global food costs, especially in developing countries.

Grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia are critical to global food security and food prices.

　　Ukrainian President Zelensky also said that the two sides discussed the issue of extending the food agreement.

　　As previously reported, the Black Sea Grain Agreement stipulates that Ukrainian grain and other agricultural products are exported through the Black Sea to provide security guarantees, and it also ensures that Russian grain and chemical fertilizers enter the international market.

The relevant agreement was signed in July 2022 and has been renewed once. The extended agreement will expire on March 18, 2023.

　　According to a report by the Russian Satellite News Agency, the Russian Foreign Ministry has previously stated that the West is "burying" the humanitarian initiative of UN Secretary-General Guterres by secretly obstructing the Russian part of the implementation of the agreement.

On August 1, 2022, the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain departed from the port of Odessa.

　　In addition to the food issue, Guterres also proposed that efforts will continue to mitigate the impact of the conflict.

The United Nations has insisted on providing much-needed humanitarian aid to Ukrainians.

　　He also said that safety and security issues around the Zaporozhye NPP were important.

It is also very important to achieve complete demilitarization of the area through mediation and to ensure that the factories can operate normally.

The United Nations stands ready to provide its good offices.

　　Zelensky said that the two sides discussed the restoration of peace, international security and the full effectiveness of the "United Nations Charter." He said, "These norms are equally important to all countries on the planet."

UN Secretary-General visits Ukraine three times in one year

　　Guterres announced his brief visit to Kiev after arriving in Poland on March 7.

Previously, he had visited Ukraine twice in 2022.

Data map: UN Secretary-General Guterres.

　　On April 28, 2022, after the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, Guterres visited Ukraine for the first time. He and the delegation visited Bucha, Boroyanka and other places in the Kiev region, and discussed with Zelensky the personnel of Mariupol. Withdrawal, the United Nations increased humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, the United Nations participation in post-war reconstruction of Ukraine and the lifting of Russia's blockade of Ukrainian ports and other issues.

　　On August 18, 2022, Guterres met with Zelensky in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv and held a trilateral meeting with visiting Turkish President Erdogan to discuss the situation in Russia and Ukraine, the Black Sea food Transport, Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, etc.

Guterres said at the time that the "Ukrainian Food Security Initiative" has achieved results in curbing global food prices, but there is still work to be done.

　　During the year, Guterres and Zelensky also had many phone calls.

　　On November 18, 2022, the United Nations announced that the two sides discussed the status of the Black Sea grain export agreement and ways to improve the food crisis in the poorest countries.

　　On December 14, 2022, Zelensky stated that he called on the United Nations to send experts to visit Ukraine's energy facilities as soon as possible during the call.

The two sides also discussed the peace plan proposed by Ukraine.