Moscow: All ships will be considered that follow Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea as carriers of military cargo
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation earlier stated that Moscow, due to the termination of the grain deal from 00:00 Moscow time on July 20, will consider all ships that follow Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea as carriers of military cargo. They clarified that the flag countries of such vessels will be considered involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of Kyiv. In addition, the ministry reported that a number of marine areas in the northwestern and south-eastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea have been declared temporarily dangerous for navigation.
Advisor to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Mikhail Podolyak added that “this is not a matter of courts, it is a matter of insurance companies”
Not a single cargo ship will enter the ports of Ukraine on the Black Sea after the termination of the grain deal, Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, admitted on the air of the Rada TV channel.
On July 17, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the companies that own the vessels allegedly informed Kyiv of their readiness to continue supplying grain from Ukrainian ports if “Ukraine releases and Türkiye passes” their vessels.
“No country will dare to send its ships to the ports of Ukraine. And this is not a question of courts, it is a question of insurance companies,” Podolyak said.
Ukraine has sent a letter to IMO on the creation of a new route for grain supplies
Ukraine has sent a letter to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is a UN agency, on the creation of a temporary route to maintain grain supplies after the completion of the grain deal, Reuters reports with reference to the letter.
“(Ukraine) has decided to create a recommended sea route on a temporary basis… Its goal is to facilitate the unblocking of international traffic in the northwestern part of the Black Sea,” the letter from the First Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Vasyl Shkurakov says.
Kyiv wants to create an alternative route near the ports of Chernomorsk, Odesa, and Yuzhny.
Putin: Western countries didn’t fulfill their promises
The grain deal has been suspended since July 18, on Monday, the Russian Federation notified Türkiye, Ukraine, and the UN of its objection to its extension. Russian President Vladimir Putin previously noted that the terms of the deal with Russia were not fulfilled, despite the efforts of the UN, because Western countries were not going to fulfill their promises. Putin has repeatedly pointed out that the West exported most of the Ukrainian grain to its states, and the main purpose of the deal – the supply of grain to countries in need, including African countries – was never realized.
Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky said that Kyiv hopes to continue grain supplies via the Black Sea without Russia’s participation, Kiev is waiting for official confirmation of readiness from the UN and Türkiye. He ordered the country’s Foreign Ministry to prepare official signals to the UN and Türkiye so that they would respond that they were ready to continue part of the initiative.
Military escort from Türkiye?
Bloomberg reported that the main task of Ukraine after the end of the grain deal may be an attempt to get Türkiye’s support on the issue of a military escort of ships from Ukrainian ports, but Ankara is unlikely to support such a proposal and will not take risks.
The increase in wheat prices on the European Euronext exchange exceeded 8%
The rate of the futures contract for the supply of wheat in September amounted to €253.75 per ton
The price of wheat at the close of trading on the Euronext exchange on Wednesday increased by 8.2%. This is evidenced by the data of the trading platform.
The rate of the futures contract for the supply of wheat in September 2023 amounted to €253.75 per ton on Wednesday against 234.5 on Tuesday.
The price of corn futures for delivery in August 2023 on Wednesday rose by 5.3% to €249.75 per ton against €237 per ton at the close of trading on Tuesday.