ODESSA, Ukraine — The first cargoes of grain since the start of the war in Ukraine have been loaded onto cargo ships at Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, preparing for their first voyages in more than five months. President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of the Group of 7 industrialized nations visited Chernomorsk, one of the three ports, on Friday and said they were ready to head to countries hit hard by food shortages. The visit came less than a week after Russian cruise missiles struck the nearby port of Odessa, threatening to upend a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to allow Ukraine to begin exporting grain. Ukrainian ports have been sealed off by a Russian naval blockade of the Black Sea since troops invaded the country on February 24. In his late-night speech on Friday, Mr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready. “The concrete work to restore Ukrainian grain exports started today in Odessa,” he said, adding, however, that he was not sure when the first shipment would come out. “I don’t want to make any predictions now. Let’s see how the grain export agreements will be implemented. The UN, Turkey and other international partners are responsible for the security side of this process.” His visit to the Black Sea coast followed a trip on Friday to the port of Odessa by ambassadors from the United States and Europe, who, along with Ukraine’s infrastructure minister, pressed Russia to honor the deal and said it was likely missions start soon. “Millions of people around the world are waiting for grain to come out of this and other Ukrainian ports,” said Bridget A. Brink, the American ambassador to Ukraine, who was making her first visit to Odessa. “It is very important for Russia to honor its commitments and allow the export of this wheat.” As he spoke, one of the large cargo ships expected to deliver grain – called the Navi-Star – sat moored in Odessa harbor near a cluster of large silver grain silos, its crew, in orange overalls, busy on deck. The Turkish-owned bulk carrier has been stuck in port since February 19, days before the invasion began, according to shipping website MarineTraffic, as one of the few ships that failed to leave before the blockade. The mechanics of transporting grain across the Black Sea with little trust between warring parties is extremely complex. The operation has many moving parts, and the parties — Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations — were still working out key elements Friday, a U.N. official said. President Volodymyr Zelensky and representatives of the Group of 7 industrialized countries during a visit to the Black Sea port of Chernomorsk on Friday. A joint coordination center opened in Turkey on Wednesday is working to establish standard operating procedures, including monitoring and inspection and emergency response, said Ismini Palla, a UN official, adding that teams are also working on safe routes and corridors. for incoming and outgoing ships. “Once all these elements are in place, then we will start to see the first movements,” Ms Palla said. “The ultimate goal is to ensure the safe passage of merchant ships.” Ukraine is a leading exporter of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower, but its shipments plummeted after the war began, undermining a global food distribution network already strained by bad harvests, drought, pandemic-related disruptions and climate change. Exports from Russia, also a major supplier, also fell. The United Nations has warned of possible famine and political unrest, and Western officials have accused President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia of using the famine as leverage to ease sanctions. — Michael Schwirtz and Matina Stevis-Gridneff
