President Zelensky: "Russia's Black Sea blockade threatens loss of tens of millions of tons of grain"

Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-seop] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concerns that the Russian military's blockade of the Black Sea could worsen the food crisis.

According to major foreign media, President Zelensky said on the 2nd (local time), "Millions of tons of grain could be lost due to Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports," warning that "this could trigger a food crisis in Europe, Asia, and Africa."

President Zelensky continued, "Russia controls the Black Sea and does not permit the navigation of ships," criticizing, "Russia wants to completely cut off Ukraine's economy." Ukraine, one of Europe's leading agricultural countries, has exported grain via sea routes, but since the Russian invasion in February, the sea routes have been blocked, causing difficulties.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture announced in a statement on the same day that it will officially close the Azov Sea coastal areas of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Skadovsk, and Kherson, which are occupied by Russia, until they are recaptured. The Ministry stated, "This measure is due to the impossibility of providing services to ships and passengers, as well as the inability to carry out cargo transportation and other related economic activities."

A United Nations report analyzed that wheat and corn prices have risen by more than 30% since the beginning of this year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.