Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports, since it withdrew in July from an agreement brokered by the UN and Turkey, “is scandalous and must end,” the president of the European Council said this Friday.
“It is frankly scandalous that Russia, after ending the Black Sea grain initiative, blocks and attacks Ukrainian seaports. This must stop,” said Charles Michel.
Russia withdrew from a deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukraine, one of the world’s largest producers, after saying the deal failed to achieve the goal of alleviating hunger in Africa.
The Kremlin has since called on Turkey to help Russia export its grains to African countries, notably earlier this week at 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,” Charles Michel added to reporters in New Delhi, on the eve of the G20 summit.
Ukraine and Russia are the main grain exporters. The deal implemented last year helped lower global food prices and provided Ukraine with a major source of revenue for its war effort.
“Ships transporting grain must be able to access the Black Sea in complete safety,” stressed Michel, specifying that the United Nations initiative initially allowed 32 million tons to be delivered, “particularly to developing countries.”
Putin stated that “of the 32.8 million tons exported from Ukraine, more than 70% ended up in rich countries, mainly in the European Union,” and the most needy countries received only 3% of the grain that went out through the Ukrainian ports, that is, “less than a million tons.”
Since withdrawing from the grain deal, Russia has stepped up 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 face severe food insecurity around the world, and by deliberately attacking Ukrainian seaports, the Kremlin is depriving them of the food they desperately need,” Michel said.
Putin will not participate in the G20 summit in India and does not even plan to send a video speech, due to tense relations between Moscow and many members of the bloc, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will replace Putin at this weekend’s summit.
Source: TSF
