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Russia's refusal to extend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative should be a reality check for countries still holding any romantic sentiments towards Russia, writes Liubov Abravitova.
Recently, we all witnessed Russia's refusal to extend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
The development was a reality check for many countries still holding onto their romantic sentiments towards Russia, which has waged an unprovoked and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine for over 500 days. With its recent decision, Russia has become the country that has deliberately put millions of people around the world at risk of hunger and at risk for rising food prices.
It is important for all of us to understand Russia's reasons for this move.
Over 400 million people around the world rely on vital Ukrainian grain supplies to ensure their food security. Last year, the world united to ensure Ukrainian grain exports could go ahead, which had been blocked by the Russian naval blockade of Ukrainian seaports.
With the help of UN and Turkey, Ukraine managed to launch the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which has proven to be a lifeline for the world. Its results are spectacular: almost 33 million metric tons of agricultural products were exported to 45 countries. Thanks to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, more than half of the global supply by the United Nations World Food Programme has been covered by Ukrainian grain.
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Despite what Russian propaganda says, around two-thirds of the overall volume of Ukrainian exports went to developing countries and to those most vulnerable to acute food insecurity in countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Proving its genuine commitment to guaranteeing food security, Ukraine has also launched an important humanitarian programme, "Grain from Ukraine," initiated by President Volodymyr Zelensky. Within this framework, Ukraine provides grain free of charge to those in need, especially on the continent.
Last year, when the initiative was introduced, grain prices around the world immediately dropped. Together with other factors, it had a positive long-term effect. In June 2023, they were 23.4% lower than in March 2022, when Russia started the blockade of our seaports.
So, by refusing to extend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russia has confirmed it is part of deliberate strategy, which is to destabilise countries in Asia and Africa. Russia wants the acute food crisis to trigger social unrest, migration and political problems.
Russia's attitude to global food security
Moreover, right after killing the grain deal, Russia demonstrated its true attitude toward global food security by attacking key Ukrainian seaports, Odesa and Chornomorsk on 19 July, with numerous missiles and drones. Russia deliberately strikes Ukrainian cities, which are vital for global food security, in order to achieve its political goals.
By resorting to grain blackmail, Russia also tries to force our allies to ease sanctions which are not related to food exports. By the way, let me emphasise that since 2022, no sanctions have been imposed on Russian food exports, and when Russia claims otherwise, it simply lies.
Ukraine has never put forward any additional demands to continue the functioning of the deal. We always stressed that we want our grain exports to continue unabated and expand capacity.
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On the contrary, Russia has never fully committed to the Grain Initiative. It has systematically obstructed the functioning of the deal:
- Russia deliberately decreased the number of inspections in the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul, limiting the capacity to one or two vessels per day;
- On 29 April, Russia fully blocked the functioning of Ukraine’s Pivdenny seaport. The last grain vessel departed the port of Odesa on 16 July;
- As of now, Russia has fully blocked the functioning of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
The immediate outcome of Russia killing the deal now is the new level of food blackmail. Because this is the time for the harvesting of grain in Ukraine, prices will again go up. This will hurt those most vulnerable, primarily in Asia and Africa, especially in Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Yemen. Russia must stop playing hunger games with people around the world.
Unlike Russia, we remain committed to our obligations within the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which, by the way, consists of two deals: one signed by the UN, Turkey, and Russia, and the other signed by the UN, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Russia has broken only its part of the deal with the UN and Turkey. Ukraine's deal with them remains in place.
Ukraine has sent official letters to the President of Turkey and the UN Secretary-General with a proposal to continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its analogue in a trilateral format. We can ensure global food security without Russia if Moscow decides to continue to resort to blackmail and choose who in the world is eligible to have food at their tables and who is not. We will not allow Russia to use food as a weapon.
It is time for the international community to join Ukraine's efforts to save vital grain exports and take a principled stance. Together, we must protect those most vulnerable worldwide. By taking joint and resolute actions, we must ensure that Russian food blackmail fails and guarantee unhindered Ukrainian food exports even without relying on any Russian approvals.
Food security is one of the important points of Zelensky’s peace formula, aimed at restoring just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter and UNGA resolutions. This is the time for all states and organisations to join the implementation of this specific item of the Formula.
Citizens around the world have a right to stability. Africa has the right to stability. Europe has the right to stability. It is time to protect our collective right to stability from the Kremlin regime.
- Liubov Abravitova is the Ukraine ambassador to South Africa
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