Ukraine is negotiating with Turkey, Egypt, and India about the possibility of reopening civilian shipping in the Black Sea, particularly for agricultural exports. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, stated that the Black Sea ports of his country are the main route for Ukraine's food exports and have the capacity to transport about 40 million tons of grain during the marketing season.
Export halt due to Russian attacks
Since August, grain exports have been halted due to Russian airstrikes on port infrastructure and ships. Zelensky stated in an interview: "We cannot manage this volume of exports by rail." He also added that Turkey, Egypt, and India have proposed safe shipping for vessels flying their flags, which includes entering Ukrainian and Russian ports and transporting food.
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Russia's opposition to the shipping plan
However, Zelensky announced that Russia has opposed this plan, despite repeated calls from intermediaries in Turkey, India, and Egypt. He also said that Kyiv has asked the European Union to reactivate the "Solidarity Lanes" program, which allowed Ukraine to export grain via rail and European ports at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022. Zelensky added: "We are asking the European Union to restore the solidarity lanes to facilitate grain exports. Everyone needs this grain."
Last summer, Ukraine faced extensive attacks on its port infrastructure following its strikes against what is known as the Russian shadow fleet. This fleet is primarily engaged in the export of sanctioned oil and fuel products. Currently, Kyiv can only export 38% of its normal volumes.
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