"Grain from Ukraine feeds people all over the world": EU urges Russia to stop attacks on Ukrainian food exports

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has urged Russia to stop attacks on Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea to restore grain exports and prevent a global food crisis.

Source: Kallas's speech at the opening of a UN General Assembly event on the Black Sea and global food security

Quote from Kallas on X (Twitter): "Grain from Ukraine feeds people all over the world. But Russia is blocking exports through the Black Sea and is deliberately causing global food insecurity.

The EU is calling for attacks to stop and grain to flow again. Food must never be used as a weapon of war."

Details: Kallas said that the consequences of Russia's military aggression do not just affect Ukraine, since it is one of the world's most important agricultural exporters.

Ukraine accounts for 15% of global maize exports, 10% of wheat exports, 15-20% of barley exports and around 50% of sunflower oil exports. Almost 90% of these products are transported through the Black Sea corridor.

To help address the problem, the EU is looking for new grain storage options in Ukraine, supporting farmers and small and medium-sized agricultural businesses and facilitating the cross-border movement of goods.

Background:

• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also discussed global food security, including Russian attacks on Ukraine's maritime corridor, with Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
• Sybiha stressed that the consequences of Russian strikes will be felt far beyond the Black Sea region, as Ukraine supplies a significant share of grain and sunflower oil to global markets.
• He therefore described ensuring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, protecting Ukrainian ports and holding Russia accountable as urgent global priorities.

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