Ukraine and Moldova discuss rail corridor for grain amid Russian Black Sea attacks
Kyiv is requesting a 50 percent discount on transport costs as Chisinau seeks guarantees on cargo volumes, Reuters reports.
Ukraine and Moldova are exploring the possibility of transporting Ukrainian grain through Moldova to Romania's Constanta port, according to unnamed sources cited by Reuters. The talks are prompted by increasing Russian attacks on shipping in the Black Sea, which disrupted traffic during the harvest season and forced Ukraine to lower its export forecast.
On July 22, no ship passed through the Black Sea corridor. Ukraine is seeking a 50 percent discount on the nominal rate to transport its grain, while Moldova has countered with a demand for guarantees on the volumes of grain it will transport. Ukraine estimates the corridor could handle 10 percent of its grain exports, with Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi stating the ministry had lowered its grain export forecast from 43 million tons to 38-40 million tons due to Russian attacks on ports.
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan defended the transit revenue, dismissing suggestions that Ukrainian grain prices would hurt Moldovan farmers. Russian strikes on vessels using the Black Sea corridor intensified in July, with attacks on civilian ships from Togo, Tanzania, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands, killing crew members and damaging infrastructure.
Ukraine called the attacks "deliberate economic and humanitarian terror" during an urgent UN Security Council session.
Written by urgent.news from Euromaidan Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
