Minister Grlić Radman at the informal meeting of foreign ministers EU Member States (Gymnich)

Croatia offers its ports for the export of Ukrainian grains through the Solidarity Corridor and is currently expanding their capacities, said Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman on Thursday in Toledo, Spain.
European heads of diplomacy are gathering in Toledo in an informal Gymnich format, joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
 
Minister Grlić Radman said that at the meeting he would emphasize Croatia's contribution to the Solidarity Corridor between the EU and Ukraine. "We must do more to bring Ukrainian grain to the countries facing food insecurity, especially in Africa," the minister pointed out. "Croatia offers its ports here, primarily the ports of Rijeka, Split, Ploče and, of course, Vukovar on the Danube. We are currently working on expanding our capacities", added the Croatian head of diplomacy.
 
Through the Corridor, launched in May last year, more than 44.4 million tons of cereals, oilseeds and related products were exported from Ukraine until June, according to the information on the website of the European Commission, which is about 60 percent since the beginning of the war. The corridors helped Ukraine to export more than 36 million tons of other products such as ores, iron and steel, soil and wood, which brought it about 33 billion euros in earnings. Minister Grlić Radman announced that, at the meeting, he would also speak about the international conference on demining that Croatia is organizing in Zagreb on October 11 and 12. "Large parts of Ukrainian territory are covered with mines. The sooner they are cleaned up, the sooner Ukraine will return to its economic activity," he stressed. Minister Grlić Radman will also mention Croatia's new package of military aid to Ukraine, stressing that Croatia would "continue to help in accordance with Ukraine's needs and our capabilities." The new aid package will amount to 30 million euros, which will increase the total Croatian aid since the beginning of the war to 190 million euros.
 
In Toledo, the ministers will also discuss the consequences of the coup d'état in Niger, as well as the general approach to Africa after the army carried out a coup d'état in Gabon on Wednesday. The day before, Minister Grlić Radman met with his Spanish colleague Jose Manuel Albares, expressing his satisfaction with the intensification of the political dialogue between the two countries, given the frequent bilateral visits at the highest levels, both at the ministerial and prime ministerial levels. Informal meetings of the ministers of foreign affairs of the EU member states are held twice a year and take place in the member state that presides over the Council of the European Union, currently Spain.
 
The Gymnich format is named after the castle in Germany where the first such meeting was held in 1974.
 
Source: HINA/MVEP

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