Last week Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement allowing safe passage for Ukrainian ships to export wheat internationally. The deal was brokered by Turkey.
A day after the landmark agreement was announced, Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine’s port in Odessa. There was grain for export in the port at the time; the port is crucial to Ukraine’s exports. Russia said the attack hit Ukrainian military infrastructure.
Ukraine and Russia are both major wheat producers and export to many Middle Eastern countries. Egypt in particular depended on Ukrainian and Russian grain imports before the war.
Ukraine’s wheat exports have been severely disrupted by the Russian invasion; about 20 tons of grain arae stuck in the country. Ukraine accuses Russia of preventing its exports via the Black Sea as well as stealing Ukrainian grain on the ground.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sought to assure Egypt yesterday on wheat exports. The diplomat told his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, that Egypt’s orders for Russian grain would be met.