The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which established a humanitarian maritime corridor to allow ships to export grain and other foodstuffs from Ukraine, should be extended and expanded from three to five ports.
Hungary’s Minister of Agriculture István Nagy expressed this opinion at a meeting with Turkey’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli on 11 July, the CFTS portal reports, citing the Interfax Ukraine news agency.
The Hungarian minister noted that because of the war, Ukrainian grain entering Europe through the borders of five countries neighboring Ukraine creates serious market difficulties and problems for farmers. According to him, Hungary continues to support the European Union’s "Solidarity Corridor," which is designed to facilitate overland transportation of Ukrainian grain. However, according to him, "the corridor has not met expectations and proved insufficient to replace Black Sea shipping."
Nagy expressed confidence that the difficulties will only be removed if Ukrainian grain can once again be delivered to destination countries in the EU, Africa, and the Middle East through the traditional routes.
"Our responsibility is of a historic nature because if we manage to extend the agreement and lift the blockade of more than three ports, it will serve both to protect the affected European countries and to meet the needs of developing countries. Otherwise, the EU grain market may be paralyzed completely, and food insecurity will force more and more people to migrate, increasing migration pressure and tensions," the Hungarian minister said.
Nagy appealed to his Turkish counterpart to make efforts to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative and expand it to additional ports.
The Turkish minister of agriculture and forestry assured his Hungarian counterpart that Turkey attaches great importance to the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. According to him, efforts to extend it will continue mainly under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The president of Turkey said earlier that the Black Sea Grain Initiative should be extended for between 2–3 months and 2 years.
Meanwhile, the opinion that Ukraine should withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and transport its grain by sea without looking back at permanent blackmail by Russia is getting louder. Business representatives have said that they are ready to participate in the export of grain through the ports of Greater Odesa without the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
