The United States is collaborating with Romania and the Republic of Moldova to increase Ukraine’s cereal exports on the Danube River. This comes in the context of exploring alternative routes for exports after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, according to a senior official from the U.S. State Department, as reported by Reuters.
“We are looking to support alternative routes, with the most prominent being the Danube route. This route remains within NATO’s territorial waters. Therefore, it’s very appealing to us as it maintains a safer corridor,” the official stated, speaking under anonymity, as reported by agerpres.
“This (route) has the potential to bring a significant quantity. We will aim to double the amount that goes through this route,” the official said.
In the coming weeks, a meeting will take place with the Romanians and Moldovans to discuss maximizing the Danube route, the cited source added.
The cereal agreement, mediated by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022, allowed for the safe export of cereals from Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea. Last month, Moscow exited the agreement, accusing the West of hindering Russia’s grain and fertilizer exports.
The agreement aimed to alleviate a global food crisis and enabled the export of nearly 33 million tons of Ukrainian cereals. Since its collapse, cereal prices have risen as Russian forces targeted Ukrainian ports with missile salvos and drones.
Ukraine is a major global cereal cultivator and exporter, normally transporting millions of tons of food from its deep-water ports on the Black Sea, Odessa, and Mykolaiv (Nikolaev). However, it had to rely on its Danube ports after Russia withdrew from the agreement last month.
Washington has also worked with Turkey to support its efforts to bring Russia back into the cereal agreement, the official added. “We are not directly involved in negotiations, but our teams are working closely with the UN and the Turks in support of the attempt to see its restart,” the source said.
Turkey is trying to convince Russia to return to the cereal agreement, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to travel to Russia soon to discuss the collapsed agreement.