Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports since the country withdrew in July from an agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey “is outrageous and must end,” the president of the European Council said on Friday.
“It is absolutely outrageous that Russia, after ending the grain initiative in the Black Sea, is blocking and attacking Ukrainian seaports. This has to stop.”said Charles Michel.
Russia pulled out of an agreement that allowed the safe export of grains from Ukraine, one of the world’s largest producers, after saying the agreement failed to alleviate hunger in Africa.
Since then, the Kremlin has asked Turkey to help Russia export its grains to African countries, particularly early in the week during talks between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in southern Russia.
‘The Kremlin’s offer of a million tons of grain to Africa is absolutely cynical’added Charles Michel to journalists in New Delhi on the eve of the G20 summit.
Ukraine and Russia are major grain exporters. The deal, implemented last year, helped lower global food prices and provided Ukraine with an important source of revenue for its war effort.
“Ships transporting grain must be able to reach the Black Sea in complete safety”underlined Michel, specifying that the United Nations initiative initially made it possible to supply 32 million tons, “particularly to developing countries”.
Putin claimed that, “of the 32.8 million tons exported from Ukraine, more than 70% ended up in rich countries, especially in the European Union”with countries most in need receiving only 3% of the grain leaving through Ukrainian ports, i.e. “less than a million tons”.
Since withdrawing from the grain deal, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukrainian river ports on the Danube, in the Odessa region, which Ukraine has used to export grain.
“More than 250 million people around the world face severe food insecurity, and by deliberately attacking Ukrainian seaports, the Kremlin is depriving them of the food they so desperately need.”argued Michel.
Putin will not participate in the G20 summit in India, and is not even planning to send a video address, due to strained relations between Moscow and many members of the bloc following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will replace Putin this weekend.
Source: DN
