Europe Asia News

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha supported the joint initiative by Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania to ban the transit of Russian grain through the European Union (EU).

In a statement on social media, Sybiha said Russia was destroying Ukrainian ports, attacking civilian vessels and threatening international maritime shipping, adding that European ports and railways should not be used for Russian grain.

Sybiha argued that Russia seeks to benefit from international trade while violating the rules on which that trade is based. He said the initiative would close one of the channels Moscow uses to preserve its export revenues and avoid the economic consequences of its aggression.

Sybiha also argued that the ban would help prevent grain that he said was stolen from occupied Ukrainian territories from reaching international markets through the EU.

Emphasizing that the issue concerns more than Ukraine alone, Sybiha said global trade rules, freedom of navigation and food security were also at stake. He said Russia should not be allowed to use European infrastructure to sustain its war economy while attacking the trade routes that feed the world.

Sybiha thanked Andris Kulbergs, Kristen Michal and Mindaugas Sinkevičius for their work in advancing the initiative, and also thanked Baiba Braže for her contribution to diplomatic coordination.

Sybiha said the European Council meeting on October 15 provides an opportunity to implement a ban on the transit of Russian grain through the EU.