By helping the needy, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has played a decisive role in ensuring the export of Ukrainian grain to world markets, EU Diplomat Josep Borrell has said.
"The Black Sea Grain Initiative has allowed the safe export of nearly 33 million tonnes of grain and foodstuffs to 45 countries by over 1,000 vessels," according to the statement released in Brussels on Tuesday.
This includes considerable amount of 725.000 tonnes of grain shipped by vessels chartered by the World Food Programme (WFP) in support of its humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen.
According to the EU, together with Solidarity Lanes the partial reopening of the Black Sea ports "has been instrumental in stabilising and lowering unprecedented high food prices caused by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine." "Prices of global food staples had steadily declined over the last year, bringing the Food Price Index of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) down by 23% from the peak reached in March 2022."
Borrell said the European Union unequivocally condemns Russia's decision to end the Black Sea Grain Initiative. According to him, as a result of this decision, Russia "is solely responsible for disruptions of grain deliveries worldwide and fuelling food price inflation globally."
"The EU urges Russia to reconsider its decision and immediately resume implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The EU will spare no efforts to continue to support the timely and stable delivery of all goods, especially agricultural products to global markets through EU-Ukraine 'Solidarity Lanes.' (...) The EU will continue to work with affected partner countries in its comprehensive Team Europe response to address global food insecurity," according to the statement.
On the eve of the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, told reporters that the Russian side sent Ankara, Kyiv and the UN their objections to the extension of the grain deal, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
