EU calls on Russia to stop attacks on Ukrainian grain shipments in Black Sea
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called at the UN General Assembly for Russia to end its attacks on Ukrainian grain exports and restore shipping through the Black Sea. She stressed that Ukrainian grain feeds people around the world.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has called on Russia to stop attacking Ukrainian grain exports in the Black Sea. She made the appeal during an event at the United Nations General Assembly dedicated to the Black Sea region and global food security.
Kallas said Russia is deliberately blocking grain exports through the Black Sea, causing a global food crisis. She argued that food must never be used as a weapon of war, whether in the Black Sea or anywhere else.
Ukraine's role in world agriculture
The EU diplomat noted that Russia's military aggression has consequences reaching far beyond Ukraine, since the country is one of the world's most important agricultural exporters. Ukraine supplies 15% of global corn exports, 10% of wheat exports, 15-20% of barley exports and about 50% of sunflower oil exports. Nearly 90% of this produce is shipped through the Black Sea corridor.
To address the situation, the European Union is helping Ukraine find new grain storage facilities, supporting farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises, and optimizing international transport routes.
Earlier, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, meeting with acting World Food Programme Executive Director Carl Skau, also discussed global food security issues, including Russian attacks on Ukraine's maritime corridor.
