Restoring grain supplies from Ukraine will be "very, very difficult" because of Russia's threats – Blinken

Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State, has stated that it will be "very, very difficult" to restore grain supplies from Ukraine due to Russia's threats to destroy civilian ships in the Black Sea.

Source: Voice of America citing Blinken at Aspen Security Forum

Quote: "We [are] working with our allies, we [are] working with partners, [we are] working with Ukraine to look at other options [to supply grain].

But I have to tell you [that] I do not think it is possible to make up the volumes lost by ending this initiative through other routes.

So we are going to do our best, but this has put a deep chill on the – on shipping, on insuring."

Details: Blinken added that the United States, together with its partners and allies, is looking for alternatives to the sea route because it will be "very, very difficult" to restore commercial sea shipping.

Because it would be very difficult for shippers and insurers to operate in such an environment, "given the threats, and more than the threats, the actions that Russia has taken over the last few days."

He emphasised that Russia does not even hint, but directly threatens that it will attack ships entering Ukrainian ports to take food products to world markets.

"...In the four days since they have ended their participation in this arrangement, what have they done, Russia? They bombed every single day the Odesa Port. They’ve laid more mines. They’ve threatened shipping.  

In fact, they did an exercise just yesterday that they very deliberately publicised where they simulated an attack on a ship.  

What does that tell you about their intentions?  What does that tell you about the lack of any basic decency when it comes to getting food where it needs to go?" the US Secretary of State asked rhetorically.

Asked by the host about the "false flag operation" that CIA Director William Burns had previously warned about at the Aspen Security Forum, Blinken said: "Well, we’ve raised real concerns about that.

I think you heard Bill Burns talk to that, John Kirby from the White House podium. Again, this is something that is part and parcel of the Russian playbook."

Background:

• On 17 July, Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman, announced the suspension of the grain deal. Russia also announced the withdrawal of security guarantees for shipping under the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
• At the same time, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he believed that the Russian president actually wanted to extend the so-called grain deal and would talk to him about it.
• Zelenskyy suggested that Türkiye and the UN continue to operate the grain corridor without Russia.
• On 19 July, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would "consider the possibility" of returning to the grain deal only if its terms were fully implemented.

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