Russia-Ukraine war: Ukraine, allies launch initiative to export $150 million worth of grain to vulnerable countries

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also led to rising prices in food as Ukraine struggles to export its grain to countries in need. Kyiv, along with allied nations, held a conference to launch its initiative to export millions of dollars worth of grain to countries that are at risk of famine and drought.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hosted the summit in Kyiv with allied countries Saturday to launch its plan to export $150 million worth of grain to countries that are vulnerable to drought and famine. Zelenskyy said that the initiative was an effort by Kyiv to live up to maintaining global food security.

Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was able to raise around $150 million from over 20 countries, including the European Union, to export grain to countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. In attendance at the summit were the prime ministers of Belgium, Poland, and Lithuania and the president of Hungary. The presidents of Germany, France and the head of the EU’s executive branch addressed the conference through video.

“We plan to send at least 60 vessels from Ukrainian ports to countries that most face the threat of famine and drought,” said Zelenskyy at the summit.

The initiative follows comments from the Kremlin claiming that the grain being exported from Ukraine through the United Nations-brokered deal was not reaching the countries that need it most.

The leaders later issued a joint statement after the summit, saying that since Russia’s invasion on February 24, the world received tens of millions fewer agricultural products than in 2021 around the same time. The statement stressed that food security in the world was threatened due to Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports in the early days of the war.

On Sunday, Ukrainian infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that the exports of Ukraine’s grain would not reach three million tons this month as Moscow is trying to limit ship inspections at ports. In a post on his Facebook page, Kubrakov said that around 4.2 million tons of Ukrainian grain left ports in October.

“It was the custom to conduct 40 inspections a day, now, due to Russia’s position, there are five times fewer checks,” said Kubrakov.