The United States Embassy in Kyiv praised the departure of the first grain shipment from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since Russia began its invasion of the country.
“We welcome the departure of the first vessel from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports since Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb 24,” the embassy said in a tweet on Monday. “The world will be watching for continued implementation of this agreement to feed people around the world with millions of tons of trapped Ukrainian grain.”
US Ambassador Bridget A. Brink called the development “progress.”
“Progress in getting grain to feed millions around the world – the first vessel departs from one of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, thanks to the tireless efforts by the UN, Turkey, and the negotiating team in Istanbul and the patient work of [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky and [Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr] Kubrakov.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s ambassador, Melinda Simmons, called the first grain shipment to leave Odesa a “first step.”
“This is such an important step but it is a first step,” Simmons tweeted on Monday. “[Russia] now needs to honour their side of this deal and let grain ships pass safely. And they need to stop burning and appropriating [Ukrainian] grain.”
Ukraine and Russia agreed a deal last month that would allow the resumption of vital grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports in a major diplomatic breakthrough aimed at easing a global food crisis sparked by the war.
Ministers from both countries signed an agreement brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in Istanbul. The deal followed months of negotiations, and promises to unblock ports on the Black Sea to allow the safe passage of grain and oilseeds — some of Ukraine’s most important exports.
This post has been updated with more details.
Source: www.cnn.com