UK to help alleviate impact of Black Sea grain deal collapse

Sunak will stress the importance of those who do choose to attend demonstrating their leadership

- Puja Das

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, who is attending the G20 Leaders’ Summit in India, will announce measures to alleviate the impact of the Russian blockade of Ukrainian grain supplies that has caused a global spike in food prices.

“Once again, (Russian president) Vladimir Putin is failing to show his face at the G20. He is the architect of his own diplomatic exile, isolating himself in his presidential palace and blocking out criticism and reality. The rest of the G20, meanwhile, are demonstrating that we will turn up and work together to pick up the pieces of Putin’s destruction," the UK high commission quoted him as saying.

“That starts with dealing with the terrible global consequences of Putin’s stranglehold over the most fundamental resources, including his blockade of and attacks on Ukrainian grain."

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which secured the shipment of 32 million tonnes of grains, faced a setback after Moscow reneged on the deal in July and intensified attacks on the infrastructure supporting Ukraine’s grain industry.