Russian Black Sea strikes fueling global food ‘storm’, says EU

Combine harvesters work in a field in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region amid Russia’s invasion, with the country remaining a major global supplier of maize, wheat and barley. (EPA Images pic) STRASBOURG: Intensified Russian attacks in the Black Sea targeting Ukraine's grain exports are worsening a "perfect storm" facing global food supplies, the EU's top diplomat said Tuesday.

"Six attacks in 10 days by suspected Russian drones marks a dangerous and unacceptable escalation in the Black Sea," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told the European Parliament.

The string of attacks on civilian vessels off the coasts of EU and Nato members Romania and Bulgaria in recent weeks have stirred condemnation and concern in Europe.

Kallas said the Kremlin is once again stepping up efforts to cut off Ukraine's revenues as Moscow's forces are bogged down on the front line.

"Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine's export routes. Ukraine is losing an estimated 60 million euros (US$67 million) a day in export revenues," Kallas said.

Ukraine is a major global supplier of staples such as maize, wheat and barley, with the vast majority passing through the Black Sea.

"Global grain stockpiles are larger than in 2022, when Russia blockaded 20 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain," she said.

"But the global food system is now facing a perfect storm: a super El Nino, drought in both hemispheres, and conflict in the Middle East, straining fertiliser exports."

Kallas warned: "Russia's actions make it harder to put food on people's plates across the world."

EU leaders last week called for the "immediate restoration of safe passage for civilian shipping" in the Black Sea.

The bloc has in recent years built up so-called "solidarity lanes" through the EU to help provide an alternative to the Black Sea route.

But Kallas warned "Russia is now also targeting border crossings with Moldova and Romania and Poland, which puts the alternative routes at risk too."