“We are facing complicated times as the destiny of the Mediterranean region is impacted by the war in Ukraine,” President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said. She was speaking at the European Parliament’s Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The Black Sea, which ultimately drains into the Mediterranean Sea via the Turkish Straits and the Aegean Sea, has become “a flashpoint” in the war, Metsola warned.

In fact, Ukraine exports 95 per cent of its grain through the Black Sea. More than 50 per cent of its wheat exports went to the Middle East and North Africa in the last two years, she explained.

“Therefore, a disruption would have, before I say will have, dire consequences for food security in many already-fragile Mediterranean countries,” the European Parliament President said.

As President, Metsola has repeatedly condemned Russian military aggression against Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, insisting that Russia’s attack was “an attack on democracy, and ultimately, on elected parliaments”. “It is an illegal violation of our contemporary international order,” she said.

During a recent visit to Ukraine, Metsola promised increased aid, pledging that the EU would help Ukrainians “rebuild their cities and your towns”. She also insisted that Moscow would face growing sanctions from the bloc.

Metsola urged the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean to join the diplomatic call for de-escalation in Ukraine “to restore international peace and security”.

This was the first meeting of the Delegation to the Union for the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly since the Moroccan Parliament took over the Presidency of the Assembly.

In her meeting with the new President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, Rachid Talbi Alami, she discussed the repercussions of the war as well as the calendar of activities for the assembly.

The Delegation to the Union for the Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly had last met to adopt a joint declaration on the fight against climate change in the Mediterranean. It also setup a permanent secretariat for the Union for the Mediterranean based in Rome.

This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-media house initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.