NEW YORK (dpa-AFX) – Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has welcomed the departure of the first grain ship from the port of Odessa since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. The agreement reached through the mediation of the United Nations and Turkey showed “that small gestures of humanity can be made possible even in these brutal times,” said Baerbock on Monday in New York.
“It is now important that this first grain export can safely continue through the waters.” She added: “We also saw that the day after the grain agreement was signed, the Russian regime bombed Odessa. Therefore, nothing is certain at this time.” But it is important to try everything to get the grain out of Ukraine, said the Green politician. “The world needs this grain, because this war is also being waged as a grain war.”
The war opponents Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement with Turkey separately on July 22, through the mediation of the United Nations, in Istanbul to allow grain exports from Ukraine from three ports. According to Ukrainian sources, more than 20 million tons of grain from last year’s harvest are still waiting to be exported. Before the Russian war of aggression, Ukraine was one of the most important grain exporters in the world. For them it’s about billions in revenue./mfi/DP/he