Germany's MFA expects Ukraine and Russia to reach agreement on Black Sea
Photo: Johann Wadephul (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed hope that an agreement on grain exports from Ukraine and Russia via the Black Sea would be reached in the coming weeks, according to his interview with ZDF.
"We will not resolve the Ukrainian conflict as a whole, but we must ensure that grain can be transported from Ukraine and Russia to countries in the Global South," Wadephul said.
He said that ensuring grain shipments through the Black Sea was one of the central issues discussed at the G20 summit, which took place on October 30-31 in Atlanta, USA.
"That is why I have no intention of easing our efforts, and I believe that further progress can still be made on this issue in the coming weeks," the foreign minister said.
He also added that the G20 summit was one of the few opportunities to convince Russia to stop, cease hostilities, and begin genuine negotiations on ending its war against Ukraine.
In the minister's view, despite differences with the Russian side, dialogue must continue. He also commented on the G20 foreign ministers' refusal to take a joint photo with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The reason was that they did not want to create the impression of unity with Russia.
According to Wadephul, EU countries maintain a common position on the need for negotiations and continued support for Ukraine. He stressed that until this happens, European countries will continue providing support and increase pressure on Russia.
In conclusion, he added that economic pressure on Russia and the lack of significant advances by Russian forces on the battlefield help create opportunities for diplomatic progress toward ending the Russian-Ukrainian war.
Ceasefire in the Black Sea
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi recently said that Kyiv expects a number of countries to encourage Russia to agree to a ceasefire in the Black Sea. These include countries that depend on exports through the Black Sea.
We also reported that a few days ago, Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler reiterated Ankara's call for Ukraine and Russia to stop attacks in the Black Sea. At the same time, he warned of "legal measures" in the event of strikes on vessels linked to Türkiye.
