The Foreign Ministers of the European Union will discuss on Monday at their Council meeting, in Luxembourg, discuss ways[/B] to enable the millions of tonnes of grain that remain blocked in Ukrainian ports because of the Russian naval blockade in the Black Sea to be unblocked and made available on world markets.
Over 20 million tonnes of grain remain blocked in Ukraine's granaries after Russia invaded its territory on 24 February and imposed a blockade on their ports.
Both Ukraine and Russia are among the world's largest grain exporters. Moscow denies any responsibility for the unfolding food crisis; it blames the West and its sanctions for the grain shortages that have led to skyrocketing food prices amid warnings from the United Nations that the poorest countries, which depend heavily on imports to feed their populations, are facing the threat of mass starvation.
The EU supports UN efforts to reach an agreement to resume Ukraine's exports by sea in return for facilitating Russian food and fertiliser exports. Turkey, which has diplomatic relations with both Kiev and Moscow, asserts that it is prepared to take a role in an "oversight mechanism" for the implementation of the agreement based in Istanbul if a deal is reached.
It is not clear whether the EU would get involved militarily to secure a deal. "Whether and whether there will be a need in the future for escorting merchant ships remains a question mark and I don't think we are there yet," a European official said.
Meanwhile, the 27 are continuing talks on the possibility of preparing a new - the seventh in a row - set of sanctions against Russia because of the war, according to the same official, who clarified that new punitive measures would not be taken immediately. No agreement is in sight to impose sanctions on Russian gas exports to the EU, this source explained.
In another development, Ukraine's parliament yesterday passed two bills imposing restrictions on Russian books and music as Kiev seeks to sever remaining cultural ties with Moscow.
One law bans the publication of books by Russian authors unless they take Ukrainian citizenship. The ban applies only to those who have had Russian citizenship since the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The importation for commercial purposes of books printed in Russia, Belarus and the occupied Ukrainian territories will also be prohibited. Russian books published in other countries will require special permission. Another law bans the music of Russian composers (those who obtained citizenship after 1991) in the media and in public transport. It also increases the percentage of works in Ukrainian language and Ukrainian music to be broadcast on television and radio respectively.
Source: APE-MPA
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