“Solidarity corridors” have allowed Ukraine to export more than 136 million tons of products such as grain, ore and steel since 2022 and import more than 52 million tons of goods, including fuel, vehicles, fertilizers, as well as military and humanitarian aid, pap.pl reports, citing the European Commission.
“In 2022, the EC, in cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova, created the so-called solidarity corridors to improve the operation of EU-Ukraine-Moldova transport routes after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These are alternative logistics routes that allow for the transportation of goods by rail, road, and inland waterway. The corridors, created to circumvent Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, now cover trade in all sectors,” the European Commission reminded.
“Solidarity Corridors” allow Ukraine and Moldova to export all types of goods to world markets and ensure the delivery of necessary products to Ukraine, the EC explained. These routes pass through the Danube region, Poland, the Baltic States and the Adriatic region. They complement the Black Sea route created by Ukraine in the fall of 2023.
The European Commission is convinced that the Danube Corridor and the Polish-Baltic Corridor are crucial for all imports, while the Adriatic Sea is of particular importance for Ukraine’s non-agricultural exports.
The European Union and international financial institutions have so far allocated more than EUR 2 billion to these routes. Large-scale projects include EU funding to improve navigation on the Danube and the Sulyn Canal to the Black Sea. River pilots have been trained with EU funds. In addition, information exchange with Ukrainian ports has been improved. This cooperation has helped to increase the safety and capacity of Danube navigation.
“Two years ago, the Solidarity Corridors changed logistics routes in Eastern Europe to support the functioning of the economies of Ukraine and Moldova and prevent a global food crisis. To date, they have brought about EUR 50 billion in revenue to businesses and at the same time strengthened Ukraine’s economic ties with the EU,” said European Commissioner Adina Valian.
