Ukraine is holding talks with Turkey, Egypt, and India on resuming civilian shipping in the Black Sea. According to RBC-Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this in an interview with Bloomberg. Kyiv's priority goal is to restore grain exports, which, according to him, stopped back in August amid Russian strikes on port infrastructure and vessels. The idea promoted by the three intermediary countries is to organize a "safe passage" for ships flying their flags.
The "Safe Passage" Format and Moscow's Position
According to Zelenskyy's description, vessels flying the flags of Turkey, Egypt, and India would enter both Ukrainian and Russian ports to transport food. "One vessel goes to our port, another to a Russian one, and we agree not to attack either of them," the president explained. At the same time, he noted that Russia opposes such a plan despite regular contacts by Turkish, Indian, and Egyptian intermediaries. Thus, the initiative remains at the negotiation stage and has not received Moscow's consent.
Why the Maritime Route Is Critical for Agricultural Exports
Black Sea ports remain the primary route for Ukrainian agricultural exports: through them, an estimated 36 million tons of grain can be shipped during the marketing year. Since August, maritime exports have practically stalled due to Russian strikes on ports and ships. Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine is unable to transport a comparable volume by rail: "We cannot cope with such a volume of transportation by rail." According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy, the country is currently able to export only about 38% of its usual volumes.
"Solidarity Lanes" and the EU's Role
In parallel, Kyiv has asked the European Union to restart the "Solidarity Lanes" program, which at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported via European railways and ports. "We are asking the EU to restore the 'Solidarity Lanes' to facilitate grain exports. This grain is needed by everyone," Zelenskyy stated. Thus, Ukraine is trying to diversify its logistics: returning part of the volumes by sea and part through overland corridors in Europe.
Context: Port Strikes, the Shadow Fleet, and the U.S. Position
Massive strikes on Ukrainian ports are being carried out by Russia, according to Zelenskyy, after Ukraine began attacks in the summer on its "shadow fleet," which transports mostly sanctioned oil and fuel. Against this backdrop, he claimed, the U.S. is considering easing sanctions on such tankers, explaining this by record freight prices. In the same Bloomberg interview, Zelenskyy called Washington's steps an attempt to pressure Ukraine into capitulation and reported that the U.S. supplies Ukraine with only 12 Patriot missiles per month. These statements represent Kyiv's assessment and position conveyed within the interview.
