MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2023) The Ukrainian government is considering a new route for transporting grain through the territorial waters of Bulgaria and Romania as part of a trilateral grain initiative with the United Nations and Turkey, Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar said on Tuesday.
On Monday, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which provided for a humanitarian corridor to allow exports of Ukrainian grain over the past year, expired as Russia did not extend its participation. Moscow has been repeatedly critical of the fact that the deal's provisions pertaining to Russia had not been fulfilled.
"Turkey is trying to find a middle ground and minimize risks. We have created a guarantee fund on our part and we can attract companies that provide ships for transporting grain. From our point of view, this can be implemented without even using the route that was previously agreed, but through the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria," Bodnar said.
At the same time, he added that in this case, the international community should take responsibility and, on the one hand, ensure that Ukraine can implement "such a scenario" and, on the other hand, "put pressure on Russia."
