KYIV- Inspections of ships carrying Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea resumed on Wednesday under a U.N.-brokered deal but Kyiv faces a struggle to secure an extension of the agreement, as well as a widening import ban in eastern Europe.
Bulgaria became the fourth European Union member state in the region to block Ukrainian grain imports, hoping to protect local farmers following an influx of cheaper supplies since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 14 months ago.
But there was some relief for Kyiv as Romania, a key trade partner, stopped short of banning imports even as it tightened controls on the transit of Ukrainian grain.
Kyiv and its allies blamed the latest halt to ship inspections in the Bosphorus this week on Moscow, which in turn blamed Ukraine and the United Nations.
Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov wrote on Facebook that “ship inspections are being resumed, despite the RF’s (Russian Federation’s) attempts to disrupt the agreement”.
The Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul that oversees operations said “inspections are already at work”.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative, reached with U.N. and Turkish mediation last July, unblocked three Ukrainian Black Sea ports five months after Russia’s invasion.
It was designed to alleviate a global food crisis as well as to support Ukraine, whose economy relies heavily on agricultural exports.
Russia says it has committed to the initiative only until May 18, and complains that a separate deal meant to ease its own agricultural and fertilizer exports – which are not covered by Western sanctions against Moscow – has not been upheld.
Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky told reporters talks were taking place to get the deal extended next month. But, making clear no immediate breakthrough is expected, Solsky said: “Let’s give them time.”
He gave no details of the talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to discuss the grain export deal with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York next week.
Kyiv is also trying to secure agreement from Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to lift bans on imports of Ukrainian grain and food products that were announced in the last few days.
The countries are transit routes for Ukrainian grain that could not be exported by sea because of Russia’s invasion, and bottlenecks have built up, reducing prices and sales by local farmers and putting political pressure on governments.
The EU is preparing 100 million euros ($109.32 million) in compensation for farmers in countries bordering Ukraine, and plans to introduce restrictions on imports of Ukrainian grains.
The EU executive has criticized member states for taking individual steps but Bulgaria’s caretaker prime minister, Galab Donev, was quoted by Bulgaria Radio as saying Sofia had no option but to act.
