Ukraine seeks support to restore maritime grain exports and expand EU Solidarity Lanes

Ukraine has asked its international partners to increase pressure on Russia to restore Black Sea shipping routes used for agricultural exports. At the same time, Kyiv has stepped up cooperation under the EU’s Solidarity Lanes initiative to expand alternative grain export routes to global markets.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s maritime export corridor poses a serious threat to global food security. He recalled that the disruption of Black Sea shipping in 2022 caused the global food price index to surge by 25%.

According to Sybiha, Ukraine has already appealed to its allies to help restore maritime exports by increasing international pressure on Moscow. He stressed that Russian attacks target not only Ukrainian port infrastructure but also civilian merchant vessels and foreign seafarers serving on their crews.

At the same time, Ukraine is holding consultations with Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland on expanding transport infrastructure under the EU’s Solidarity Lanes program. The goal is to increase transit capacity for Ukrainian grain destined for third-country markets through neighboring countries.

The push to strengthen alternative logistics comes as the deep-water ports of Greater Odesa remain effectively unable to operate due to ongoing Russian attacks. Ukrainian officials believe that alternative routes cannot fully replace Black Sea export capacity, highlighting the need for both diplomatic efforts to restore maritime shipping and further investment in overland logistics.

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