Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday sounded a cautious note, saying it was “too soon” to celebrate, hours after the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain set out from the port of Odessa under a United Nations and Turkey-brokered deal.
“At this time, it is too early to draw any conclusions and make any forecasts,” Zelenskyy said in his daily video address. “Let’s wait and see how the agreement works and whether security will be really guaranteed.”
The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni departed with over 26,000 tons of corn destined for Lebanon, marking the first vessel to set out from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports under the deal to unblock the embattled country’s agricultural exports and ease the growing global food crisis.
Russia and Ukraine signed agreements in Istanbul with Turkey and the U.N. on July 22, clearing the way for Ukraine to export some 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural products.
The supplies have been stuck in Black Sea ports because of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than five months ago. The deals also allow Russia to export grain and fertilizer.
As part of the agreements, safe corridors through the mined waters outside Ukraine’s ports were established. Operations are being monitored by a joint coordination center that was set up in Istanbul, staffed by personnel from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the U.N.
Ukraine and Russia are major global suppliers of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower oil, with the fertile Black Sea region long known as the breadbasket of Europe. The holdup of shipments because of the war has worsened rising food prices worldwide and threatened hunger and political instability in developing nations.
Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian president called the shipment “the first positive signal that there is a chance to stop the spread of a food crisis in the world.”
He also urged international partners to closely monitor Moscow’s compliance with the deal.
“We cannot have the illusions that Russia will simply refrain from trying to disrupt Ukrainian exports,” Zelenskyy said.
Under the agreements, ships going in and out of Ukrainian ports will be subject to inspection to make sure that incoming vessels are not carrying weapons and that outgoing ones are bearing only grain, fertilizer or related food items, not any other commodities.
The Razoni was scheduled to dock early Wednesday in Istanbul, where teams of Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. officials were set to board it for inspection.
More ships are expected to leave from Ukraine’s ports through the safe corridors. At Odessa, 16 more vessels, all blocked since Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, were waiting their turn, with others to follow, Ukrainian authorities said.
