The first ships with Ukrainian grain reach Turkey – but the UN Secretary General is only partially relieved. He calls for an end to obstacles to Russian fertilizer exports. Without this “there may not be enough food in 2023”.
After the first grain deliveries from Ukraine, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for unhindered access for Russian agricultural products and fertilizers to world markets. During a visit to the coordination center in Istanbul, which controls grain supplies from Ukraine, Guterres reminded that the supply agreement also guarantees Russia the right to export its agricultural products and fertilizers despite Western sanctions.
But exporting Ukrainian grain is only part of the solution. According to Guterres, Russian food and fertilizers must also be given unhindered access to global markets. “Without fertilizer in 2022, there may not be enough food in 2023.” However, in order to calm the markets and lower prices for consumers, it is “crucial that more food and fertilizers are exported from Ukraine and Russia”.
Brokered by Turkey and the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements in July to resume grain supplies to Ukraine. Since the beginning of August, 650,000 tons of grain and other agricultural products have already left the Ukrainian ports of Odessa, Pivdennyy and Chornomorsk under the agreement.
That includes 23,000 tons of wheat destined for Africa, which crossed the Bosphorus on Wednesday evening aboard the UN chartered ship MV Brave Commander. Guterres had visited the ship in Istanbul that morning. “What an impressive and inspiring operation,” Guterres said during a speech at the control center set up specifically for the grain deal.
Before Istanbul, the UN Secretary-General met the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Turkish head of state Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv and visited the port city of Odessa.
