The halt to grain shipments has caused prices to increase dramatically around the world, and reopening Ukraine’s ports could avert famine
Russia and Ukraine will sign a deal on Friday to reopen Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, Turkey said, a potential breakthrough that could ease the threat of hunger facing millions around the world as a consequence of Russia’s invasion.
Turkey, a NATO member with good relations with both warring countries, controls the straits leading into the Black Sea and has acted as a mediator on the issue. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who would potentially sign any agreement, was headed there. The U.S. State Department said it welcomed the announcement and would hold Russia to account for implementing the agreement.
“The majority of the infrastructure of ports of wider Odesa – there are three of them – remains, so it is a question of several weeks in the event there are proper security guarantees,” he told Ukrainian television. But with the flows still reduced, Germany’s Economy Minister Robert Habeck accused Russia of blackmailing Europe over energy. The Kremlin denied that and blamed Europe for causing disruption with sanctions that complicated the pipeline’s maintenance.
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