Russia’s Black Sea grain deal exit is ‘de facto blockade,’ Canada says

On Monday, Russia withdrew from the grain deal, under which it allowed the passage of ships from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea carrying food grain shipments.

A day after the Russian government withdrew from an agreement that allowed for the use of Ukrainian ports for grain shipments, Canada has called on Moscow to resume its participation in the Black Sea grain deal to avoid “further shocks to global food systems.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan issued a joint statement on Tuesday, saying Russia’s withdrawal from the agreement was a “de facto blockade.”

“Canada strongly condemns the decision of the Russian Federation to withdraw its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye as part of the Istanbul Agreements in July 2022,” the two ministers said in their joint statement.

“This reimposes a de facto blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, significantly affecting global food exports as well as security in the Black Sea.

“Canada calls on the Russian Federation to immediately renew its participation in the agreement to avoid any further shocks to global food systems already strained by its war of aggression against Ukraine.”

The Canadian government said the Black Sea deal had managed to prevent 100 million people worldwide from falling into extreme poverty.

“(Russia’s withdrawal) also impedes the efforts of the World Food Programme, which sourced more than half of its total wheat supply from Ukraine in 2022, relieving hunger in hard-hit areas such as Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa and Yemen,” the government said.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia would suspend the Black Sea Grain Initiative until its demands to get its own food and fertilizer to the world are met.