EU neighbors shun Kyiv’s plea to free trapped grain
Poland and Romania said there’s nothing more they can do to help Ukraine export its grain through Europe, as the blockade in the Black Sea continues.
EU nations are turning a deaf ear to Ukraine's plea for assistance in freeing trapped grain, as domestic concerns take precedence over solidarity with Kyiv. The blockade in the Black Sea is threatening a global food crisis and jeopardizing Ukraine's next harvest. Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi made a direct appeal to EU counterparts in Brussels, requesting assistance to move millions of tons of grain exports and €1.1 billion to cover higher shipping costs.
However, Poland and Romania, which possess vital infrastructure for boosting shipping and storage capacity, have refused to provide further aid, citing their own farmers' needs as the top priority. Romania's agriculture minister, Barna Tánczos, noted that excess Ukrainian grain combined with low water levels on the Danube is already overloading Romanian ports, hindering local farmers from selling their own produce.
Less than half of Ukraine's exports are currently able to leave through European rail, road, and river shipping routes, with up to 35 million tons potentially stuck in Ukraine if the blockade persists. Despite this, the EU is not ruling out a collective response to address the global food security concerns. German agriculture ministry officials stated that Berlin is making every effort to strengthen alternative export routes.
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