Brussels has facilitated the export flows via its so-called “solidarity lanes,” top diplomat says
The European Union has accelerated the export of Ukrainian grain, almost doubling the volume of shipments in June, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted on Friday.
According to him, 5.8 million tons of grain have been transported by the EU from Ukraine via so-called “solidarity lanes” since April.
Borrell also wrote that “1.2 billion people are severely exposed to the combination of rising food and energy prices and tightening financial conditions.” He once again accused Moscow of “blocking millions of tons of grain in Ukrainian storage facilities, using food as a weapon of war.”
Western nations have repeatedly blamed Russia for blocking Ukrainian ports, making it impossible to ship the country’s grain. Moscow has responded that it would guarantee safe passage for grain shipments if Kiev clears its ports of mines.
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Last month, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is not impeding exports, and criticized the West for its “cynical attitude” towards the food supply of the developing nations, which have been worst affected by soaring prices. He said rising inflation in the West was “a result of their own irresponsible macroeconomic policies.”
Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, has been unable to export its grain by sea due to the ongoing conflict, with an estimated 22 million to 25 million tons of grain currently stuck in the country’s ports.