WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 124 
12 June 2022 
(22-4564) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR TARAS KACHKA  
DEPUTY MINISTER OF ECONOMY OF UKRAINE  
- TRADE REPRESENTATIVE OF UKRAINE  
UKRAINE  
At the outset, on behalf of Ukraine I would like to express sincere appreciation to the WTO Secretariat 
and all Members, whose great efforts have made this Conference possible. It is a great honor to 
have a privilege to represent and speak for the millions  of Ukrainians, who have been suffering 
because of the hideous, unprovoked and unjustified war, launched against Ukraine by the WTO 
Member, the russian federation.  
This Ministerial Conference takes place at a truly difficult time of unprecedented pressure on 
international trade, financial and food security, as we are witnessing, without exaggeration, one of 
the most horrendous blows on the multilateral trading system in modern history.  
Starting with the COVID -19 pandemic, which drastically affected trade fl ows and countries ' 
economies, russia 's invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022 further exacerbated existing 
problems, as well as created a lot of new ones. The world has already started to feel its devastating 
repercussions: destabilization of markets, l ooming danger of food crisis, another surge in inflation, 
shutdown of enterprises due to the loss of supply chains, destruction of international trade routes, 
one of the biggest migration crises since World War II, and worsening expectations of economic 
agents. These negative trends are expected to continue over the next few years.  
In this war Ukraine pays the highest price - human, infrastructural, economic. More than 
USD 600 billion in direct losses. More than 7 million Ukrainians have been forced to seek  asylum 
abroad. More than 12 million Ukrainians left their homes. One third of Ukrainian enterprises do not 
work.  
Under these unprecedented circumstances, I would like to thank the Members that express their full 
support for Ukraine, for strong response to  the invasion and measures taken for security reasons.  
In times like these, Ukraine strongly believes that Members should look for a coordinated approach 
for tackling current and emerging issues and challenges for the good of the whole membership.  
My count ry remains committed to a predictable, rules -based multilateral trading system and believes 
it is imperative to continue addressing issues that lie at the heart of the existing problems in 
international trade and recognizes the need to strengthen the WTO, with a view to ensuring the 
continued viability and effectiveness of its dispute settlement, negotiating and monitoring functions.  
Ukraine supports Members ' efforts to build a fair and predictable trading system, to improve the 
existing trade rules and to develop new ones, including focus their work within WTO on achieving 
Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, Ukraine fully supports the need to eliminate certain 
forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to excessive and irresponsible use of mar ine resources, 
causing substantial depletion or even complete destruction of such resources.  WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 124 
 
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  Being one of the world 's largest exporters of agricultural goods, namely, wheat, maize, rapeseed, 
sunflower seeds and oil, and according to experts, 400 million pe ople in the world depend on 
Ukraine 's grain supplies, my country has made great contributions to ensure global food security 
and achieve SDGs.  
Having started a full -scale war against our state, russia  blocked our ports on the Black and Azov 
Seas. There is  a complete blockade of our agricultural exports, and this, in turn, is the path to a 
large-scale crisis in the global food market. If we cannot export wheat, barley, corn, vegetable oil, 
in the countries of North Africa and in various regions of Asia by t he end of this year there will be a 
physical shortage of food and prices will rise significantly.  
In this regard, by acknowledging the impediments that russia  created to export of agricultural 
products by blocking our seaports and illegally exporting grain from temporarily occupied territories, 
Ukraine is convinced that MC12 has to deliver concrete results on the long -overdue agriculture 
reform with a view to e ncouraging transition to more sustainable agriculture practices that would 
ensure availability of nutritious food for generations to come.  
Besides, climate change remains a significant global challenge. Moreover, right now we are facing 
the russian milita ry forces ' shelling targeting oil depots, gas pipelines and coke plants, which can 
potentially lead to air and soil pollution from the toxic products of open combustion and affect goods ' 
production and quality (especially agricultural ones) not just in Ukr aine, but in neighboring countries 
as well. Hence, while we support the WTO Members ' activities aimed at environmental conservation 
and containment of global average temperature increase, we would like to avoid a situation in which 
environmental policy is used as an instrument of discrimination and pressure on less developed 
trading partners, rather it is crucial for it to become more resilient to answer possible ecological 
problems.  
We emphasize that all trade -related environmental measures should be devel oped in compliance 
with WTO rules, UNFCCC and Paris agreement and not create unjustified barriers to trade.  
We are confident that only the coherent work of all WTO members will ensure the balance of trade 
and environmental interests and needs of all stake holders, provide equal opportunities for all 
participants in international trade and, as a result, will lead to significant progress in combating 
climate change and preventing new environmental challenges.  
While Ukraine is interested in reinvigorating of m ultilateral trade negotiations, we would like to 
welcome results of the Joint Statement Initiatives on services domestic regulation, e -commerce and 
informal Working Groups on Micro, Small and Medium -sized Enterprises and on trade and gender. 
We consider th is approach could give an additional impetus to the process of revitalizing multilateral 
trade negotiations.  
In addition, I would like to note that russia's horrific acts in its war against Ukraine, which is contrary 
to the purposes and values of the WTO, brings at the forefront the issue of urgent need to elaborate 
on the efficient instruments to preserve the ability of the WTO to function effectively and to diminish 
the influence of aggressor country in the Organization. The aggressor should bear the full  
responsibility for its actions, which paralyze ability of other countries to participate and benefit from 
the multilateral trading system.  
It is crucial to remember that the fundamental goal of the WTO is to improve people 's lives. And 
that`s what should be the basis of all our work within the Organisation. Yet, before anything else, 
we ought to maintain effective work of the WTO and protect the main principles it is based on.  
I would like to conclude by repeating that this Ministerial Conference comes at a difficult time, and 
therefore it is of great importance that our work contributes to the achievement of meaningful 
results.  
MC12 will be over in couple of days, but we should continue our work in this new reality with a view 
to ensure recovery and furthe r development of international trade to the benefit of people.  
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