BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called Russia’s decision to suspend a Black Sea grain export deal a “cynical move”, adding that the EU would continue to work towards ensuring food security for poor countries.
Russia said it had halted participation in a landmark UN-brokered deal that allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported through the Black Sea just hours after Moscow said Ukraine had attacked the Crimean Bridge. Prices for grains and oilseeds have already risen in response to news that Russia will suspend its participation in the deal.
“I strongly condemn Russia’s cynical move to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite UN & Turkiye’s efforts. EU is working to ensure food security for the world’s vulnerable. EU Solidarity Lanes will continue bringing agrifood products out of Ukraine & to global markets,” von der Leyen said in a Tweet.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said Moscow’s decision was unjustified and was using food as a weapon in the conflict with Ukraine.
“This is something very serious that will create a lot of troubles for many people around the world,” Borrell told reporters on entering a summit with countries of South and Central America.
“I have to blame Russia for this decision. (It is) completely unjustified, weaponising the hunger of the people,” Borrell said.
Ukraine is a major producer of grains and oilseeds and the interruption to its exports at the outbreak of war pushed global food prices to record highs. The deal, agreed in July 2022 some five months after the war started, helped to bring down prices and ease a global food crisis.
“For us it is extremely worrying, what we have seen with the ongoing provision by Ukraine, notwithstanding the fact that it is under daily bombing attacks, is the possibility for Ukrainian grain to continue to feed the world,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said.
“Our concerns would be on the spillover effect on the impact of such a decision, which is so regrettable, so worrying, and on that we would hope we continue to find a resolution because countries are dependent on Ukrainian grain,” she said.
(Reporting by Tassilo Hummel, Johnny Cotton and Marine Strauss; Editing by Alex Richardson)
