President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with a proposal to immediately convene a NATO-Ukraine Council due to the security crisis in the Black Sea.
"We discussed with Mr Stoltenberg our steps to unblock and ensure the sustainable operation of the grain corridor. In our cooperation, we have moved to a new, higher level - the level of the NATO-Ukraine Council. And this mechanism can work," Zelenskyy said in an evening address.
He noted that he suggested that Stoltenberg immediately convene the Council for crisis consultations on the matter. According to Zelenskyy, the meeting will take place in the coming days.
Earlier today, Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation with Stoltenberg. They discussed the immediate and future steps needed to unblock and sustainably operate the Black Sea grain corridor. They also discussed further steps towards Ukraine's integration into NATO.
Russia has been shelling the grain infrastructure of southern Ukraine for several days now, following the 17 July attack on the Kerch Bridge, when Russia refused to extend the grain deal on the same day.