Ukrainian grain should be on move ‘today or tomorrow,’ says Zelenskyy

KYIV, Ukraine – Shipments of Ukrainian grain, which have long been blocked due to Russia’s invasion, are set to start moving out of Odesa “today or tomorrow,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.

Zelenskyy was in the port city to get a feel for the logistics of a deal that was heavily negotiated between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations.

“The most important thing for us is that the harbor and the people work,” Zelenskyy said in a message shared on Telegram. The video shows the Turkish-flagged ship Polarnet being loaded with Ukrainian grain.

All that is needed now is a signal from Turkey and the U.N. that the ship can leave, said the Infrastructure Ministry. “It’s important to us that Ukraine remains a guarantor of worldwide food security.”

Both Ukraine and Russia were key suppliers of foodstuffs around the world before Russia launched its invasion in February. In the aftermath, many countries began boycotting Russian goods while Ukrainian goods became inaccessible because of Russian control of the Black Sea.

Attempts have been made to get some grain out by train and truck, but not enough can be moved. Meanwhile, 20 million tons of grain and other agricultural goods have stacked up – and in some cases gone bad – in Ukraine, while large parts of the world are seeing shortages and spiraling prices.

The negotiations that cleared the way for the hoped-for shipment out of Odesa allow Turkey and the U.N. to guarantee shipments, meaning Russia will not attack the vessels in exchange for the U.N. seeking to lift sanctions on its agricultural goods.

However, Western sanctions do not affect Russian agricultural goods. The problem is that many wholesalers refuse to touch Russian wares amid widespread revulsion at Russia’s attack.

Ukraine’s presidency said 16 ships are being loaded with grain in Odesa, which equates to about 580,000 tons. “Shortly, they will dock at their destination harbors,” said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, a deputy head of the presidential office.

The developments in Odessa came as officials in Lebanon attempt to sort out the details surrounding a ship carrying grain from Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia that arrived at a Lebanese port on Wednesday.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Lebanon, Ihor Ostash, informed Lebanese President Michel Aoun of the development and asked him to clarify the situation, the embassy said in a Facebook post.

The embassy said the Syrian ship arrived on Wednesday at the Lebanese port of Tripoli and the barley on board had been exported from the port of Feodosia in Crimea, the Ukrainian Black Sea coastal peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.

Kiev suspects it is a case of grain theft.