The European Union’s foreign policy chief said on Twitter that "Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risk the main export route of much needed grain and fertilisers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine."
The US president, Joe Biden, called Russia’s decision to pull out of the grain deal "purely outrageous," while the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, accused Moscow of "weaponising food," the Reuters agency reported.
The UN secretary-general, António Guterres, said he was "deeply concerned" about the Black Sea grain deal and delayed his foreign trip by a day to focus on the issue.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an evening address on Friday that "Russia began deliberately aggravating the food crisis back in September, when it blocked the movement of ships with our food."
Since September, "176 vessels have accumulated in the grain corridor," which is "an absolutely transparent intention of Russia to return the threat of large-scale famine to Africa and Asia," according to Zelensky.
Following Moscow’s declaration, the Polish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that "Poland, together with its EU partners, stands ready to work further to help Ukraine and those in need to transport essential goods."
On Saturday, Russia said it was suspending participation in The Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal to secure exports of grain and fertilisers from Ukraine, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July 2022.
Russia’s announcement came a day after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for the extension the agreement, which was scheduled to officially expire on November 19.
The grain-and-fertiliser export deal was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey on July 22. It paved the way for the resumption of Ukraine’s exports for the first time since the Russian invasion blocked shipping through the Black Sea in February.
(ał)
Source: Reuters, IAR