Callas called for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea to restore grain exports

Yesterday, 01:08◉ 02 min readEditorial team “SHCHO STALOSIA”

Eliminating threats to civilian shipping and protecting port infrastructure in the Black Sea are critical conditions for preventing a new wave of the global food crisis. — Ukrinform.

Callas called for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea to restore grain exports

The corresponding initiative to introduce a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea region was made by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas during the opening of the UN thematic event chaired by The European Union, Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We present the EU's call for the conclusion of the Black Sea Grain Agreement with the introduction of a moratorium on attacks," the high representative of the EU stressed.

"Ukraine remains one of the most important exporters of agricultural products in the world, providing 15% of world exports of corn, 10% of wheat, 15–20% of barley and about 50% of sunflower oil. Almost 90% of these products are transported by the Black Sea corridor, "the top diplomat said.

At the same time, the EU diplomat stressed that since August, maritime exports have actually stopped due to the escalation of Russian attacks, which made commercial shipping impossible. Additional pressure on supply chains is creating conflict in the Persian Gulf and the effects of climate change.

Details

“Food should never be used as a weapon of war — neither in the Black Sea nor anywhere else. Wars deprive millions of people across the planet of access to affordable food,” said Kaya Kallas.

Context

According to Kallas, the aggression unleashed by Russia has consequences that go far beyond Ukraine. She recalled that the jump in agricultural prices in 2022 clearly demonstrated the strategic importance of the Black Sea for international trade, energy and food security.

What's next

She added that the EU continues to provide large-scale support to mitigate the crisis: in 2025 alone, Brussels mobilized 2.1 billion euros to strengthen global food security. In Ukraine, the European Union promotes the search for new granaries, supports farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises, and optimizes international transportation.

In addition to humanitarian and financial assistance, the European Union continues to develop alternative land and river routes ("EU Ways of Solidarity"), which allowed to partially redirect the export flows of Ukrainian grain to conditions for blocking seaports.