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Updated September 19th, 2022 at 13:11 IST

Vladimir Putin threatens more restrictions on UN-brokered 'Black Sea Grain Initiative'

The President of Russia, on Wednesday threatened to restrict Ukrainian grain exports to European nations under the UN-brokered 'Black Sea Grain Initiative'

Reported by: Yuvraj Tyagi
Putin: Grain Exports
Image: AP | Image:self
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The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin on Wednesday threatened to restrict Ukraine's grain exports to European nations amid the raging war between the two nations. Putin further accused Europe of acting like ‘colonial powers’ as he used figures to claim that developing nations were receiving only a fraction of the exports, they were expecting under the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative.  

The Russian President made the remarks during his opening speech at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. Putin further added that he would consider amending the deal to limit the export of grain and other such deliveries to European countries as he accused European countries of deception in terms of Ukrainian grain exports.

UN data contradicts Putin’s claims  

Contradicting President Putin’s remarks that “Only 3% of the grain being exported from Ukraine is going to developing countries, the majority is going to Europe” in reference to which he accused the European countries to be acting “like colonial powers” for decades, the United Nations data states that approximately 30% of “grains and other foodstuffs” have been received by low and lower-middle-income countries under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.  

However, Putin and his ministers have repeatedly cited western sanctions as the cause for looming global food shortages while deflecting any criticism for the impact of its military actions in Ukraine. Putin in his statement further revealed that he planned to consult with Turkey’s President, Erdogan as it was “him and me who worked out a mechanism for the export of Ukrainian grain,” he claimed.  

The data from The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), shows that some of the world’s most vulnerable countries are reliant on imports from Ukraine. Eritrea sourced 53% of its wheat imports from Russia while the remaining 47% came from Ukraine. Moreover, nations like Lebanon, Tunisia, Somalia and Libya all relied on Ukraine for almost half of their wheat imports.  

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July and was signed by representatives from Russia and Ukraine. The primary focus of the initiative is to facilitate the resumption of vital exports out of Ukraine in order to alleviate global food shortages and rising grain commodity prices. 

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Published September 19th, 2022 at 13:11 IST

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