Print Magazine
Brussels Morning Newspaper
Saturday, September 23, 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
No Result
View All Result
Home World

Could warships safely escort Ukrainian grain shipping

Ivan Fischer by Ivan Fischer
30 May 2022
in World
Sevastopol,,Republic,Of,Crimea,,July,31,,2021.,Russian,Cruiser,Moskva

Sevastopol, Republic of Crimea, July 31, 2021. Russian cruiser Moskva in the port. Russian Navy.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) With the Russian Black Sea fleet blockading Ukrainian harbours, millions of tonnes of grain are stuck within silos in Ukraine, unable to reach the countries dependent on its food exports and threatening global food security. A possible solution could be for western countries to escort cargo ships travelling through the Black Sea.

Approximately 25 million tonnes of corn and wheat are currently sitting in siloses in Ukraine, around 98% of which would have been exported by shipping. A large number of countries, many in developing parts of the world, are dependent on these exports. Compounding the problem, Russia has introduced an embargo on exporting wheat, barley, rye and other grains.

According to the UN World Food Programme head David Beasley, the resulting food shortages could lead to millions of people dying around the world. “This is not just about Ukraine, this is about the poorest of the poor around the world who are on the brink of starvation as we speak,” Beasley told the UN Security Council.

While Russia has offered to secure a corridor for food shipping, it would be willing to do so only in return for the west lifting some of the sanctions imposed on Moscow – something which is not an option at this point, as the west does not want to incentivise Moscow into holding people’s lives hostage as means to lift the sanctions.

Exporting the grain through other routes is not as easy as it may seem – there aren’t nearly enough trucks to transport the food across the borders with the EU in time, and potential transport by rail is complicated by the fact that Ukraine and the EU use different rail gauges, necessitating lengthy and complicated cargo transfers.

An unlikely proposal came from Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who suggested the western countries could form a so-called “coalition of the willing”, joining in a naval mission intended to protect Ukrainian transport ships from being attacked by the Russian fleet, securing the export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea.

The Spanish El Pais daily reported on Saturday that the EU is considering launching such a mission, despite the serious risk of European ships clashing with Russian warships. A similar report was published by the Italian Il Messagero, which claimed that Italy would be willing to provide a frigate for such a mission.

The mission would not be unprecedented. United States and its allies used a similar strategy to escort oil tankers during the 1980s Tanker War, as Iran was threatening merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

The shipping routes are located in international waters and Ukrainian waters, and the operation could be arranged as a strict humanitarian mission. Any interference by Russia would risk involving the countries not currently part of the conflict in Ukraine. However, even if the EU and western countries reach an agreement – almost certainly outside of the scope of NATO – the plan would still hinge on support from Turkey.

With the start of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Turkey invoked the 1936 Montreux Convention, barring the passage through the Bosphorus to all military vessels save for those with a home port in the Black Sea.

Turkey can open its straits to foreign warships, but the Convention limits its options – it would either have to be an active participant in the war, which is extremely unlikely, or it would have to declare itself as being in immediate danger. As one of the countries dependent on Ukrainian food exports, it could ostensibly claim this fact constitutes “immediate danger” to Turkish security.

According to Harry Nedelcu, Director of Policy at political consultancy Rasmussen Global, the convoy escort plan seems like a feasible idea for breaching the Black Sea Blockade. “When you look at the Black Sea and the ships that Russia has there, we’re talking about a few dozen ships, including submarines,” Nedelcu told DW. He added that another solution could simply be to provide Ukraine with more sophisticated anti-ship weapons.
However, according to former US ambassador to NATO, Ivo Daalder, missiles alone would not be able to lift the blockade. In an op-ed for Politico, Daalder notes convoy escorts do come with an increased risk of confrontation with Russian forces, but holds that the risks are worth taking in the face of the colossal humanitarian need.

Tags: Main-SliderRussian Black Sea fleet
Follow Brussels Morning
Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

About Us

Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

More Info

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Jobs

Categories

  • Belgium News
  • Brussels
  • Culture and Society
  • Economy
  • EU Institutions
  • Commission
  • Council
  • Parliament
  • Europe
  • Features
  • Health & Fitness
  • In Depth
  • Ambassador’s Corner
  • Europe With Transparency
  • Place de la Bourse
  • Southeast Europe
  • Sustainable Perspective
  • The American Angle
  • The Macro-Economist
  • Member States
  • Opinion
  • Our pick
  • Uncategorised
  • World
  • Diplomacy
  • Middle East Eye
  • US Elections
  • Join Our Newsletter

    Brussels Morning Newspaper – All Rights Reserved © 2020

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Brussels Bubble
      • Parliament
      • Commission
      • Council
    • Wider Europe
      • Member States
    • World
    • Business & Society
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Culture & Society
    • Policy Talks
      • Place de la Bourse
      • The Macro-Economist
      • Sustainable Perspective
      • Ambassador’s Corner
      • The American Angle
      • Southeast Europe
    • Print Magazine

    Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT