Pope Francis has urged Russia to resume the grain trade along the Black Sea, which permitted Ukraine to export grain to foreign markets.
In accordance with the agreement, which was mediated by Turkey and the UN in July 2022, Ukraine was permitted to export grain by sea, avoiding a Russian blockade of its Black Sea ports and ensuring safe passage through the waterway to Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait.
According to the UN, this is essential for bringing down food prices globally and providing aid to developing nations that depend on Ukrainian exports.
On July 17, Russia announced its withdrawal from the agreement, claiming that it was unable to export its own food.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, asserted that the deal’s primary goal, the provision of grain to impoverished nations, had not been achieved.
Attacks by Russia on grain storage facilities in significant Ukrainian cities, such as Odesa, have destroyed 60,000 tons of grain—enough to feed 270,000 people for a year. Putin has also courted nations in Africa, positioning Moscow as a dependable supplier of food.
According to the UN, Russia’s withdrawal from the grain agreement will not be made up for by sending free grain to the continent.
