美国国家公共电台 NPR--Deal that allows Ukraine to export grain across the Black Sea has been extended

Deal that allows Ukraine to export grain across the Black Sea has been extended

Transcript¹

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

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

3 alleviate   

v.减轻，缓和，缓解(痛苦等)

参考例句：

• The doctor gave her an injection to alleviate the pain.医生给她注射以减轻疼痛。
• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。

4 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

5 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

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

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

8 gauge   

v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器

参考例句：

• Can you gauge what her reaction is likely to be?你能揣测她的反应可能是什么吗？
• It's difficult to gauge one's character.要判断一个人的品格是很困难的。

9 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

12 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

13 tenure   

n.终身职位；任期；(土地)保有权，保有期

参考例句：

• He remained popular throughout his tenure of the office of mayor.他在担任市长的整个任期内都深得民心。
• Land tenure is a leading political issue in many parts of the world.土地的保有权在世界很多地区是主要的政治问题。

14 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

15 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。