President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed the country’s commitment to the grain deal and stressed the importance of continuing the Black Sea Grain Initiative despite Russia suspending its participation.
Zelenskyy recently held talks with the United Nations (UN) secretary-general Antonio Guterres to discuss the continuing of the initiative, stating that Ukraine is ready to remain a guarantor of global food safety.
The Council of the EU has said Russia’s unjustified decision to suspend its participation in the deal obstructs the export of much-needed grain to address the global food crisis.
A statement by the council states: “Russia is solely responsible for the global food security crisis it has caused by its unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine and its blockade of Ukrainian sea ports.
“The UN-brokered agreement has made, together with the EU-Ukraine solidarity lanes, a significant difference by allowing the export of grain and agricultural products from Ukraine to the global markets and to the countries most in need, including in the Horn of Africa, Yemen and Afghanistan.”
Since the beginning of the invasion, Russia has been weaponising food and hunger, and deliberate actions, including destroying stocks, and imposing quota restrictions on its own export of foodstuff and fertilisers have exacerbated the global food security crisis, according to the EU Council.
The EU urges Russia to reverse its decision and to immediately resume the implementation of the initiative, and supports calls by Guterres for the extension of the initiative beyond its current period ending in November.
Grain exports resumed after a deal was signed in July following months of intensive talks brokered by the UN and Turkey. Ukraine had been unable to export grain by cargo ship since February 24, due to a blockade in the Black Sea by Russian forces.
As of Sunday, October 30, the total tonnage of grain and food stuffs moved from Ukrainian ports under the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative exceeded 9.5 million tonnes, according to the Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) of the initiative.
Black Sea Grain Initiative
The UN was informed by Russia that while it suspends its participation in the implementation of the activities of the deal, including in inspections, for an indefinite time, it will continue the dialogue with the UN and the Turkish delegation on pressing issues.
The Russian delegation of the JCC previously raised concerns about the safety of movements of merchant vessels under the deal, after preliminary inspection of a possible mine-like object in the Maritime Humanitarian Corridor was performed early last week.
To continue fulfilling the deal, it was proposed that the Turkish and UN delegations provide inspection teams. 21 vessels are currently engaged in the initiative that are in or near the three Ukrainian ports with a capacity of over 700,000t.
Among those, the Ikaria Angel is the 7th ship chartered by the World Food Programme loaded with 30,000t of wheat intended for the residents of Ethiopia “that are on the verge of famine”, Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov said.
In a statement on Twitter, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said: “Disgusting to see Putin and his despotic regime weaponising food again. So many people and economies rely on Ukraine as one of world’s most crucial grain producer.”