EU's Kallas calls for Black Sea attack moratorium to restore Ukrainian grain exports
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas called at a UN General Assembly event chaired by the EU for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea to restore Ukrainian grain exports. She said Ukrainian maritime grain shipments have effectively halted since August 2025 because of escalating Russian attacks, and that nearly 90% of Ukraine's agricultural exports move through the Black Sea corridor.
Key points
- EU High Representative Kaja Kallas called for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea region to restore grain exports.
- Kallas made the proposal at the opening of a UN General Assembly thematic event on the Black Sea and global food security, organized under EU chairmanship.
- Kallas said Ukrainian maritime grain exports have effectively stopped since August due to the escalation of Russian attacks, making commercial shipping impossible.
- Kallas said Ukraine accounts for about 15% of world corn exports, 10% of wheat, 15–20% of barley, and about 50% of sunflower oil exports.
- According to Kallas, nearly 90% of these Ukrainian agricultural products are transported via the Black Sea corridor.
- Kallas accused Russia of blocking grain exports through the Black Sea and deliberately causing a global food crisis.
- Turkey has separately transmitted to Ukraine and Russia proposals aimed at ceasing hostilities and attacks in the Black Sea.
Why it matters
Ukraine supplies roughly 15% of world corn, 10% of wheat, 15–20% of barley and about 50% of sunflower oil exports, and nearly 90% of its agricultural exports move through the Black Sea corridor. Kallas's call is an attempt to revive an arrangement similar to the 2022–2023 Black Sea Grain Initiative, which the EU describes as decisive in curbing the global food crisis, after maritime shipments effectively halted in August 2025. Separately, Turkey has transmitted proposals to Ukraine and Russia aimed at stopping hostilities and attacks in the Black Sea.
What happened
At the opening of a UN General Assembly thematic event on the Black Sea and global food security, organized under EU chairmanship, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas called for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea region to restore Ukrainian grain exports. She said Ukrainian maritime grain exports have effectively stopped since August due to the escalation of Russian attacks, which has made commercial shipping impossible. Kallas framed the situation as Russia deliberately blocking Black Sea grain exports and causing a global food crisis, and said food must never be used as an instrument of war, neither in the Black Sea nor elsewhere. She argued that if Russia stopped its attacks, farmers, traders and international food markets would gain the predictability they need. Kallas noted that Ukraine provides about 15% of world corn exports, 10% of wheat, 15–20% of barley and about 50% of sunflower oil, and that nearly 90% of these agricultural products are shipped via the Black Sea corridor. She also said Ukraine has consistently shown readiness for a diplomatic settlement of the grain issue, including Kyiv's initiatives on a full ceasefire and the participation of Ukrainian officials in diplomatic events on the sidelines of the UN.
Background
The EU 'Solidarity Lanes' initiative has facilitated roughly €304 billion in trade since May 2022, and the EU mobilized €2.1 billion in 2025 to strengthen global food security. The Black Sea Grain Initiative operated during 2022–2023 and, according to the EU, played a decisive role in curbing the global food crisis. Turkey has transmitted proposals to Ukraine and Russia aimed at ceasing hostilities and attacks in the Black Sea.