Ukraine calls on world to stop ‘artificial delays’ by Russia in grain corridor inspections

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine called on the international community Monday to stop Russia’s “artificial delays” in the inspection of vessels traveling through the grain corridor under the landmark Istanbul grain export deal.

“We call on the international community, in particular African and Asian states who rely on Ukraine’s grain exports, to demand that Russia immediately stops these artificial delays in the inspections of the grain corridor vessels. We must not allow the Kremlin to keep millions of people hostage to its hunger games,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement claimed Russian inspectors assigned to the Istanbul Joint Coordination Center have been prolonging the inspection of vessels heading to Ukrainian ports since Oct. 14, resulting in more than 165 vessels being queued up near the Bosporus Strait connecting the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea.

Kyiv defined Russia’s delays as “politically motivated,” adding that Moscow recently tried to “question the grain corridor without any legitimate grounds with the aim to renew the deal.”

It added that an additional 3 million tons of grain was prevented from being exported by Ukraine, due to which 10 million people worldwide have not received food in time because of “Russia’s political agenda.”

“We remain committed to continue working closely with the United Nations and Türkiye in order to ensure the unimpeded functioning of the Black Sea grain corridor,” the statement added.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement in Istanbul on July 22 to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which paused after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February.

The coordination center with officials from the three countries and the UN was set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.

Since the first ship left Ukraine under the deal on Aug. 1, more than 365 ships with over 8 million tons of agricultural products have left Ukrainian ports.

The parties are currently negotiating a possible extension to the deal that runs out on Nov. 19. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that there is no obstacle in the extension of the agreement.