The world must respond firmly to any Russian attempts to disrupt Ukraine's grain export corridor, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as more ships were loading despite Moscow suspending its participation in a U.N.-brokered deal.
One of the global consequences of Russia's war on its neighbor has been food shortages and a cost of living crisis in many countries, and a deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye on July 22 had provided safe passage for vessels carrying grain and other fertilizer exports. The pact is due to expire on Nov. 19.
Russia suspended its involvement in the accord over the weekend, saying it could not guarantee safety for civilian ships because of an attack on its Black Sea fleet that it blamed on Ukraine. Kyiv has not claimed responsibility and denies using the grain program's security corridor for military purposes.
In a late Tuesday night video address, Zelenskiy said ships were still moving out of Ukrainian ports with cargoes thanks to the efforts and support of Türkiye and the United Nations.
"But a reliable and long-term defense is needed for the grain corridor," Zelenskyy said.
"Russia must clearly be made aware that it will receive a tough response from the world to any steps to disrupt our food exports," Zelenskyy said. "At issue here clearly are the lives of tens of millions of people."
The grains deal aimed to help avert famine in poorer countries by injecting more wheat, sunflower oil and fertilizer into world markets and to ease a dramatic rise in prices. It targeted the pre-war level of 5 million metric tons exported from Ukraine each month.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin he is sure solution-oriented cooperation can be established regarding the pact, Turkey’s presidency said on Tuesday.
In a phone call, Erdoğan told Putin that Ankara is making efforts with all sides to solve problems regarding the implementation of the grain export deal.
Erdoğan will also speak with Zelenskyy in the coming days as he tries to help restore the pact, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavşoğlu said Tuesday.
Delegations from Ukraine, Türkiye and the United Nations agreed not to plan any movement of vessels on Wednesday as part of the deal, the United Nations secretariat at the joint coordination center that monitors the corridor said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the secretariat said Turkish and U.N. inspectors concluded 36 inspections on board outbound vessels on Tuesday, days after Russia suspended participation in the initiative.
The U.N. coordinator for grain and fertilizer exports under the accord said on Twitter on Tuesday that he expects loaded ships to leave Ukrainian ports on Thursday. Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Twitter that eight vessels were expected to pass through the corridor on Thursday.
Having spoken to his Russian counterpart twice in as many days, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar hoped the deal would continue, adding that he expected a response from Russia "today and tomorrow."
"There is progress in this direction. We are evaluating the available information that this agreement will continue," Akar said in a statement.
