EU Official Urges Russia to Renew Grain Agreement

Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission's Executive Vice President, urged Russia on Saturday to renew the grain agreement that allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian grain through Black Sea ports, following Moscow's withdrawal from the agreement last month. Dombrovskis stated, "The Russian restrictions on shipping Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea are causing problems not only for Kyiv but also for several developing countries." He added, "We support all efforts made by the United Nations and Turkey regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative," noting that "the bloc is providing alternative trade routes to help Ukraine export grain and other products."