The United States is examining proposals, including one from Türkiye, to ease Black Sea grain traffic, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday, as wartime disruption continues to weigh on food security.
Anadolu Ajansı reported Rubio made the remarks at a news conference in Atlanta after a meeting of G20 foreign ministers. He said Türkiye and India had each put forward ideas to restore grain movement interrupted by the war. Rubio identified a proposal from Türkiye among the options Washington is considering and said the U.S. would keep reviewing it.
Several countries, Rubio said, are weighing whether they could guarantee or facilitate a possible arrangement. He described the effort as a limited response to the war’s effects on trade, rather than a path toward ending the conflict. “It doesn't solve the war, but at least it solves a unique aspect of it,” he said.
Rubio linked the issue to global food security, saying disrupted Black Sea trade affects vulnerable countries. He also defended keeping communication open with Moscow. A negotiated settlement requires Washington to speak with both Russia and Ukraine, he said, citing the danger of future escalation as a reason to maintain contact. The U.S. would continue exploring a diplomatic resolution, Rubio said, though a breakthrough was not imminent.
A grain corridor negotiated by Türkiye and the United Nations began in July 2022. Nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain and other foodstuffs reached 45 countries under the arrangement, according to the United Nations. The accord lapsed after July 18, 2023, when Russia opted against an extension.
In an Oct. 21 interview with The Indian Express, Rubio said the military value of Black Sea strikes complicates a maritime truce. EconoTimes previously covered his comments on India's ceasefire effort.
