Ukrainian and French foreign ministers condemn Russia's exit from grain deal

Monday, 17 July 2023, 18:25

Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, and Catherine Colonna, his French counterpart, have discussed Russia leaving the Black Sea Grain Initiative on the sidelines of the UN meeting on 17 July.

Source: Kuleba and Colonna on Twitter, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Kuleba stated that he and French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna condemned Russia abandoning the grain deal.

Quote from Kuleba: "Russia has caused this crisis by blocking the Ukrainian sea ports, and now it continues to blackmail the world. We have discussed the steps towards facilitating global trade security."

More details: Catherine Colonna has also reported about the meeting and remarked that she has discussed "the situation in Ukraine, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which Russia had called into question, and the support Ukraine needs to be able to protect itself and bring back peace according to the UN statute" with her Ukrainian counterpart.

Background: 

  • Dmytro Peskov, spokesperson of the Kremlin, reported on 17 July about the suspension of the grain deal.
  • Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the Russian President Vladimir Putin indeed wanted to continue the grain deal and would talk to him about it.
  • The White House representative remarked that Russia’s decision "will affect the trade security and harm millions of vulnerable people worldwide".

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!