Russia has canceled the agreement to transport Ukrainian grain from the ports of the Black Sea after the drone attack in Crimea. EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell strongly criticized this decision. The decision “endangers the main export route for much-needed grains and fertilizers to address the global food crisis caused by the war against Ukraine”. The EU urges Moscow to reverse the decision.
Russia gave the reason for the suspension as drone strikes on the Black Sea fleet in the city of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine was supported by Britain. Britain dismissed the allegations as false.
The security of the corridor set up for grain shipments can no longer be guaranteed, Moscow said. The Ukrainian government strongly rejected this statement. Russia devised attacks on its own facilities. Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak spoke of “fictional terrorist attacks”.
‘Food is a weapon again’
The US has also criticized Russia’s new blockade on grain exports from Ukraine and called for deliveries to resume. President Joe Biden called Russia’s actions outrageous and stressed that it would increase world hunger. “Russia is once again using food as a weapon in the war it started,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
“Washington’s response to the terrorist attack on the port of Sevastopol is scandalous,” Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov wrote. The “ruthless actions of the regime in Kiev” have not yet been condemned.
Video: Agreement canceled – less bread for the world?
Russia Requests UN Security Council Meeting
Russia officially informed UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the suspension of the agreement on Saturday evening. Moscow is suspending the deal “indefinitely” because of the attacks, according to a Russian ambassador. In addition, the Kremlin has requested a UN Security Council meeting on the matter, according to sources in the United Nations’ most powerful body.
“No joint agreement had been reached on the entry and exit of cargo ships on Oct. 30,” the International Grain Export Coordination Center in Istanbul said on Sunday evening. On Saturday, nine cargo ships passed through the corridor in the Black Sea, “more than ten other ships” are ready to cross it “in both directions”.
Under a pretext, Moscow is blocking transports “which mean food security for millions of people,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter on Saturday evening.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a sharp response from the UN and G20 countries. With this move, Russia is causing famines in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, Zelenskyj said in a video message. Despite statements from Moscow, the United Nations did not want to give up hope of continuing the deal.
For weeks, Russia had threatened to stop the grain deal. Zelenskyy has complained in recent days that Russia is blocking the passage of ships loaded with grain.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
