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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Deal that allows Ukraine to export grain across the Black Sea has been extended
NPR's Michel Martin speaks to European Commissioner2 for Transport Adina Valean about efforts to help Ukraine export grains and agricultural products.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Ukraine has been known as the breadbasket of the world for its abundant production of wheat, corn and sunflower oil. But when Russia's attack on Ukraine crippled the country's ability to export its products, prices went up, making it harder for people around the world to afford food. Last year, in an effort to alleviate3 the situation, the European Commission launched its Solidarity4 Lanes action plan to create alternative routes for Ukrainian agricultural products. Soon after, Russia and Ukraine signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has allowed Ukraine to export 30 million tons of grain and other agricultural products.
We wanted to hear more about how this project is going and the impact it has had. So we've called Adina Valean. She is European Commissioner for Transport and one of the leaders of the EU's implementation5 of the Solidarity Lanes.
Commissioner, welcome.
ADINA VALEAN: Thank you for having me.
MARTIN: Tell me more about the Solidarity Lanes action plan.
VALEAN: Immediately after the start of the war, Ukraine and Moldova - they were completely blocked with their export/imports. The only possibility to exit was through the European Union front lines. And we decided6 immediately to help them establish new connectivity routes for exports and imports. But we found out very soon that there are missing links and hurdles7 because if we talk about rail, these countries, Ukraine and Moldova - they have the width of the gauge8 bigger than the European standard because the Soviet9 time, and then you cannot have easy cross border with a train from Ukraine, Moldova to European Union. But we worked on that and all this infrastructure10 is there to stay.
MARTIN: Obviously, this is a response to a crisis. But just from a market standpoint, do you think the European Union has benefited?
VALEAN: It's a double benefit. Without these cross-border links, Ukraine won't be able to import. They won't be able to get humanitarian11 help or other products needed in their economy. Of course, European Union is the first provider for all of these goods Ukraine needs, but it's also the other way around. Let's not forget that a part of this market exchange, these corridors of transportation, are also a transit12 traders from Ukraine, farmers - they need to send their products to the global market. So without this transit, Black Sea Initiative won't be enough. Sixty percent of the total of the grains Ukraine exported were through the Solidarity Lanes, not Black Sea Initiative, in the last year.
MARTIN: It's also my understanding that there is not sort of universal approval for this. For example, some of the farmers in the EU are concerned that their products are being disadvantaged to the advantage of Ukraine. Is that not the case?
VALEAN: Well, it's a complex situation. It's not because the Ukrainian grains storages are full in Poland or in Romania. This is because the traders in Poland and Romania chose to buy those grains. But this is not Ukraine to be blamed that it's selling on the market.
MARTIN: So before we let you go, Commissioner, I'm just wondering, when you look back on your tenure13 here, what do you think if we look back on this, like, five years from now - what will we see as the major accomplishment14?
VALEAN: Honestly, I think this is a legacy15, and I'm proud of what we have done here. It represents a growth of European Union, of integrating naturally its neighbors from Ukraine and Moldova.
MARTIN: We've been speaking with Adina Valean. She's the European commissioner for transport. She's one of the leaders of the EU's implementation of Solidarity Lanes.
Commissioner Valean, thank you so much for taking the time.
VALEAN: Thank you very much.
1 transcript | |
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书 | |
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2 commissioner | |
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员 | |
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3 alleviate | |
v.减轻,缓和,缓解(痛苦等) | |
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4 solidarity | |
n.团结;休戚相关 | |
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5 implementation | |
n.实施,贯彻 | |
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6 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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7 hurdles | |
n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 );跳栏;(供人或马跳跃的)栏架;跨栏赛 | |
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8 gauge | |
v.精确计量;估计;n.标准度量;计量器 | |
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9 Soviet | |
adj.苏联的,苏维埃的;n.苏维埃 | |
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10 infrastructure | |
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施 | |
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11 humanitarian | |
n.人道主义者,博爱者,基督凡人论者 | |
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12 transit | |
n.经过,运输;vt.穿越,旋转;vi.越过 | |
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13 tenure | |
n.终身职位;任期;(土地)保有权,保有期 | |
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14 accomplishment | |
n.完成,成就,(pl.)造诣,技能 | |
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15 legacy | |
n.遗产,遗赠;先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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