UN Expresses Concern Over Russian Limitations on Ukrainian Grain Exports
The United Nations has expressed concerns about a new threat to global food security after Russia limited the number of ships allowed to pick up Ukrainian grain at Black Sea ports.
According to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric, only 33 ships departed from Ukrainian ports in May, half the number compared to April, and exports of grain and other foodstuffs totaled just 1.3 million metric tons last month, less than half the amount of the previous month.
Russia notified the center in Istanbul coordinating the arrivals, departures, and inspections of ships involved in the Black Sea Grain Initiative that it would limit registrations in the port of Yuzhny as long as ammonia is not exported.
Ammonia is a key ingredient for fertilizer and Moscow wants Ukraine to open a pipeline from the Russian city of Togliatti to the Ukrainian port of Odesa that it used before the war to ship ammonia to its global customers.
The United Nations will work to overcome obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer shipments, which UN trade chief Rebeca Grynspan has been trying to do for months but Moscow has criticized the lack of results.
Dujarric said that the UN would put forward practical suggestions at the strategic and operational level and would continue to engage with Russia and Ukraine.