On The Foreign Scene
On Tuesday, a senior agriculture official stated that the European Union is considering providing financial assistance for the expensive transportation of grain from Ukraine. This aid comes in the wake of Russia’s termination of a crucial deal that allowed Black Sea exports, which are vital for global food security.
The issue of facilitating the transportation of food products from Ukraine has become complex, as it also affects the competitiveness of farmers in neighboring EU countries who are dealing with an excess of low-cost grain which poses a challenge to the unity of the 27-nation bloc’s support for Kyiv amid its confrontation with Russia’s invasion.
Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski mentioned that the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, will explore the option of providing financial support to transportation companies.
However, Germany, the economic powerhouse of Europe, is opposed to such a measure.
Poland, along with Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, want to extend a ban on Ukrainian grain imports until the end of the year but will still allow food to move through their countries to the world.
The United Nations Security Council plans to meet Wednesday at Ukraine’s request to discuss Russia’s attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa and its attempts to weaponize food supplies.
Barbara Woodward, Britain’s U.N. ambassador and the council’s current president, said that Russia has ramped up attacks on grain stores in Odesa and across Ukraine while its sabotage of the Black Sea Grain Deal had increased wheat prices by 8%.
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