The Joint Coordination Center has not inspected the ships within the Black Sea Grain Initiative, since the beginning of June: neither at the entrance of Ukrainian ports nor at the exit of them. But there is a plan B according to the Apkinform
Plan B
Ukraine will be ready to continue exporting grain via the Black Sea within the framework of “plan B” without the support of Russia if the latter terminates the current agreement of the Grain Initiative. Stated Mykola Solskyy, the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, in an interview with Reuters on June 2.
He noted that at the moment the grain agreement is valid only legally, and “actually nothing really is happening there.”
“It doesn’t work like that, and then we’ll be ready for plan B, which is up to us, up to the UN. I don’t think we will be standing by if this continues for the foreseeable future. Plan B excludes the participation of the fourth party (Russia) in these relations,” said M. Solskyy.
Insurance guarantees
He also added that the government of Ukraine could offer insurance guarantees to companies to continue shipment without Russia’s participation in the new agreement. In particular, a special insurance fund in the amount of about 547 mln USD has already been created for companies whose ships will enter Ukrainian Black Sea ports under the new agreement.
“If we are completely blocked, which has in fact almost happened, the carriers can use this corridor with guaranteed insurance from our government”, Solskyy said, adding that shipowners should have “quite strong” confidence that the Ukrainian military and their air defenses “can do their job”.
At the same time, he said, Ukraine still hopes that the current grain initiative will work despite the current difficulties, while any new option will require a new agreement or format.
“Since legally the first format works and we hope for it, we will try to make it work, and if we have nothing to lose, then obviously we will discuss the details of plan B” the head of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy summarized.