U.S. to help Romania and Moldova transport Ukrainian grain
The United States, Romania, and Moldova will work together to increase Ukrainian grain exports, a senior U.S. State Department official said Wednesday, with quotes from Reuters and news.ro.
"We are looking to support alternative routes, and that is primarily the Danube route," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "That route remains in NATO territorial waters, so it is very attractive to us because it keeps it in a safer corridor."
The official said the U.S. is working to double the amount of grain that is currently being transported through the Danube.
A meeting with Romanian and Moldovan officials will be held in the coming weeks to discuss how to maximise the Danube route, the official said.
The agreement to transport Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, negotiated by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022, allowed for safe exports from Ukrainian ports, but Russia withdrew from the agreement last month, accusing the West of blocking its own exports of grain and fertilizers.
The agreement was aimed at easing a global food crisis and allowed for the export of nearly 33 million tons of Ukrainian grain. Since its collapse, grain prices have risen as Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian ports with missiles and drones.
Ukraine is a major global producer and exporter of grain and normally ships millions of tons of food from its deep-water ports on the Black Sea, Odessa and Mykolaiv, but has had to rely on its Danube ports since Russia withdrew from the agreement last month.
The United States has also been working with Turkey to support its efforts to bring Russia back into the grain agreement, the U.S. official said.
"We are not directly involved in the negotiations, but our teams are working closely with the UN and the Turks to support the effort to assist in getting it back up and running," the Washington official said.
Turkey has been trying to convince Russia to return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to travel to Russia soon to discuss the issue with Vladimir Putin.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
