Russia must stop using food as a weapon

On July 17, nearly one year after it was signed in Istanbul, Russia decided to not renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative that allowed Ukraine to export agricultural goods to global markets. As underlined by the secretary-general of the UN, this initiative had been “a beacon of hope in a world that desperately needs it.” 

Before Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine — a critical global food supplier — a fifth of the world’s barley came from Ukraine, as well as a sixth of its maize and an eighth of its wheat. After Russia invaded Ukraine, attacking grain fields and silos and blocking Ukrainian ports, global food prices spiked to record levels and endangered much-needed food supply for many importer countries. The grain initiative aimed to reestablish a vital route for agricultural exports from Ukraine and to lower global food prices.  

Despite many challenges, it achieved its key purpose. The export of almost 33 million tons of grains and food from Ukraine to 45 different countries played an instrumental role in reducing global food prices by some 25 percent from the record high reached shortly after Russia’s attack. As public trade data shows, more than half of the grain, including two-thirds of the wheat, went to developing countries.  

In addition, the initiative ensured continued access to grain for the World Food Program. In 2023, Ukraine supplied 80 percent of the wheat procured to support humanitarian operations in the most food-insecure countries, such as Afghanistan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Without the Black Sea route, the World Food Program will have to get its grain elsewhere, at higher prices and with a longer lead time, at a time when the world is facing an unprecedented food crisis.  

Contrary to the lies spread by Russia, the EU has indeed ensured that our sanctions have no impact on global food security 

Josep Borrell

Russia’s decision was taken despite the UN secretary-general’s renewed proposals to work to address its concerns. In order to shift blame, Russia claims that its own agricultural exports were not sufficiently facilitated. This is not borne out by publicly available trade data, which shows that Russia’s agricultural exports are thriving. Moscow also gained important benefits from its memorandum of understanding with the UN on fertilizer exports, which had been brokered in parallel to the grain deal. The UN has worked relentlessly to clarify regulatory frameworks and engage with the private sector to find dedicated solutions across the banking and insurance sectors. These efforts have been conducted in close collaboration with the EU and its partners.  

Contrary to the lies spread by Russia, the EU has indeed ensured that our sanctions have no impact on global food security. There are no sanctions on Russian exports of food and fertilizer to third countries and the EU has provided extensive guidance to economic operators, clarifying that these transfers to third countries are permitted. We have also worked with the UN to allow related payments.  

Despite these well-known and verifiable facts, Russia decided to pull out of the grain initiative, using food as a weapon and endangering the global food supply. Hours after withdrawing, Russia also started to destroy Ukraine’s grain storage facilities and port infrastructure with daily targeted attacks, not only in the Black Sea itself but also on the Danube. As an immediate reaction, wholesale wheat and maize prices saw their biggest price increase since the start of Russia’s war of aggression. The increased food price volatility is likely to persist as long as Russia puts global food supply under deliberate stress, aggravating the worldwide cost-of-living crisis — and most acutely for food-insecure people in import-dependent countries. This is unacceptable and should be resolutely condemned.  

Russia is now approaching vulnerable countries with bilateral offers of limited grain shipments, pretending to solve a problem it created itself

Josep Borrell

As the world deals with disrupted supplies and higher prices, Russia is now approaching vulnerable countries, notably in Africa, with bilateral offers of limited grain shipments, pretending to solve a problem it created itself. This is a cynical policy of deliberately using food as a weapon. 

In response to Russia’s irresponsible actions, the EU is active along three main lines. First, we will continue to support the tireless efforts of the UN and Turkiye to resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Second, we continue to strengthen our “Solidarity Lanes” as alternative routes for Ukrainian agricultural exports to reach global markets through the EU. These lanes have allowed the export of more than 41 million tons of Ukraine’s agricultural goods so far, and we are increasing this as much as possible to mitigate the consequences of Russia’s termination of the grain deal. Third, we have increased our financial support to countries and people most in need, providing €18 billion ($19.75 billion) to address food security until 2024.  

We call on the international community and all countries to step up their own assistance in support of global food security. We ask all our partners to urge Russia to return to negotiations, as the African Union already has, as well as to refrain from targeting Ukraine’s agricultural infrastructure. With a clear and unified voice, we can get Russia to resume its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The world has a shared interest in the responsible stewardship of global food security. We owe it to the people most in need. 

• Josep Borrell is High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission.