Kyiv [Ukraine], July 17 : After Russia announced it was pulling out from the United Nations-brokered Black Sea grain deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “everything” must be done to ensure his country can use the Black Sea to export grain, CNN reported.
According to the Ukrainian President spokesperson Sergiy Nykyforov, Zelenskyy said, "Even without Russia, we must do everything possible so that we can use this Black Sea corridor." Zelenskyy further said that Ukraine could continue exporting grain without the support of Russia.
Zelenskyy said, "We are not afraid. We have been approached by companies which own vessels." He further said, "They said they are ready to continue grain deliveries if Ukraine ships out and Turkey lets them through," according to CNN.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, "I have instructed our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after the official signal from the Russian Federation, to prepare our official signals to the United Nations and to Turkey so that they can answer back to me as to the President of Ukraine that they are ready to continue our initiative."
Russia on Monday announced it was suspending its participation in a UN-brokered deal that allowed the export of Ukrainian grain. The agreement, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022, was scheduled to expire at 5 pm ET on Monday.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday announced Moscow will not renew the agreement, saying it "has been terminated." The deal had allowed Ukraine to export grain by sea, as per the CNN report.
In withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that its government was removing guarantees for safe navigation in the Black Sea, according to CNN.
Russian Foreign Ministry in the statement said, "This means the withdrawal of guarantees for the safety of navigation, the curtailment of the maritime humanitarian corridor, the restoration of the regime of a temporarily dangerous area in the northwestern Black Sea and the disbandment of the JCC [Joint Coordination Center] in Istanbul. Without Russia's participation, the Black Sea initiative ceases to function from July 18."
It further said that the Russian government objects to the further extension of the agreement and informed the Turkish and Ukrainian sides on Monday. Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow had also informed the UN secretariat. The ministry said that the Russia-UN Memorandum did not work as planned.
"We are forced to state that none of the five systemic tasks envisaged by the Russia-UN Memorandum have been fulfilled," the statement reads as per CNN. After Russia's announcement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned Russia's decision to terminate the Black Sea Grain initiative.
Taking to its official Twitter handle, Ursula von der Leyen stated, "I strongly condemn Russia’s cynical move to terminate the Black Sea Grain Initiative, despite UN & Türkiye’s efforts. EU is working to ensure food security for the world’s vulnerable. #EUSolidarityLanes will continue bringing agrifood products out of Ukraine & to global markets."
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