European Union agriculture ministers are gathering to explore strategies for ensuring the movement of essential grain from Ukraine, which is crucial for global food security, following Russia's decision to halt the deal permitting such exports.
BRUSSELS - On Tuesday, European Union agriculture ministers convened to address the challenge of moving crucial grain supplies out of Ukraine, which is vital for global food security, after Russia terminated a deal that allowed such exports. Simultaneously, they aim to protect prices for farmers in neighboring countries affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
Germany's agriculture minister, Cem Ozdemir, cautioned that the ministers must strike a balance between these two issues without undermining the EU's support for Ukraine during the ongoing war triggered by last year's invasion.
He warned that any cracks in EU unity would play into the hands of Vladimir Putin, expressing concern about the potential implications of discord within the bloc.
The meeting in Brussels marked the first gathering of agriculture ministers since Russia terminated the wartime deal last week. This deal facilitated the flow of grain from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where hunger is an escalating concern, and high food prices have exacerbated poverty.
The terminated deal included safeguards to protect ships when entering and leaving Ukrainian ports, while a separate agreement facilitated the movement of Russian food and fertilizer.
Finland's agriculture minister, Sari Essayah, expressed grave concern over Russia's termination of the grain deal, stating that it poses a significant problem not only for EU markets but also for global food security.
Ministers are determined to ensure that Ukrainian grain can continue to reach global markets through EU territory.
Poland's agriculture minister, Robert Telus, along with Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, plans to extend their ban on Ukrainian grain imports. However, they will still allow food to transit through their countries to other parts of the world.
Lithuania's agriculture minister, Kęstutis Navickas, proposed shifting export procedures for grain from the Ukraine-Polish border to Lithuanian ports. This move aims to prevent grain from getting stuck in Poland, leading to a supply surplus that could lower prices for local farmers.
Germany's Ozdemir appeared supportive of the plan, suggesting that grain from Ukraine could be transported in sealed containers to ports in the Baltics as a viable solution.
"I'm sure the friends from the Baltics would be happy to help and then transport to where it's needed in the Global South," Ozdemir suggested.
In recent days, Russia has targeted critical grain export infrastructure in Ukraine in retaliation for an attack that damaged a crucial bridge connecting Russia to the Moscow-annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russian officials attributed the strike to Ukrainian drone boats.
Ukraine is also working to continue its grain exports by sea. The country has sent a letter to the United Nations International Maritime Organization, establishing its own temporary shipping corridor and offering guarantees of compensation for any damage incurred.
However, Russia has issued a warning that it will assume ships crossing parts of the Black Sea are carrying weapons to Ukraine. In response, Ukraine declared that vessels heading to Russian Black Sea ports would be treated as "carrying military cargo with all the associated risks" in a seeming tit-for-tat move.
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