Brussels 18.07.2023 Russia struck Ukraine’s port of Odesa with missiles and drones on Tuesday, July 18, a day after pulling out of a U.N.-backed deal to offer to Kyiv possibilities to export grain via sea route. The Ukrainian officials said Moscow was attempting to return to the offensive in the east.

Russian attacks on Ukraine’s ports followed after Kremlin vowed to retaliate for blasts on Kerch bridge connecting Russia’s mainland to Crimean Peninsula. The construction was severely damaged on Monday July 17 by strikes during night hours. Moscow said they were strikes by Ukrainian seaborne drones.

The same day the European Union condemned unequivocally Russia’s decision to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
“With its decision, Russia is further exacerbating the global food security crisis it created by its war of aggression against Ukraine and its blockade of Ukrainian sea ports. Russia must cease illegally blocking Ukrainian sea ports and allow freedom of navigation on the Black Sea” reads statement by the High Representative Josep Borrell on behalf of the European Union on Russia’s termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

“The Black Sea Grain Initiative has been crucial for ensuring the export of Ukraine’s grain to global markets, helping vulnerable populations in need. Together with the EU-Ukraine “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.

“The Black Sea Grain Initiative has allowed the safe export of nearly 33 million tonnes of grain and foodstuffs to 45 countries by over one thousand vessels. 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. Even throughout the war, Ukraine remained WFP’s biggest supplier of wheat in 2022, supplying more than half of WFP’s global wheat grain procurement.

“All this is at risk now. Russia continues weaponizing food. By terminating the agreements, Russia is single-handedly blocking one of the crucial main export routes from Ukraine of grains for human consumption and 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.

“The EU will continue to support all efforts towards the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative”.