Foreign Affairs Council of the EU to discuss Ukraine war
The EU Foreign Affairs Council will meet today in Brussels to discuss the war in Ukraine.
During their previous gathering, the Council condemned Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian exports and approved conclusions on the Team Europe response to global food insecurity. This response includes helping Ukraine export agricultural goods via different routes and providing emergency relief and support to maintain food affordability.
Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of fueling a global food crisis. Ukraine Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba has publicly stated that Moscow put millions at risk of hunger by blocking Ukrainian Black Sea ports. However, two days ago Turkey hosted talks between Russia and the United Nations, after which Kyiv stated its belief that Moscow would soon lift the blockade. As of yet, Moscow has made no official statement.
As Kuleba will virtually attend today’s conference, expect the Council to further discuss routes through which to boost exports . Furthermore, expect an official response from Russia on the matter in the next week. While Moscow will likely entertain lifting the blockade, its agreement may come with its own requests, including a reduction in Western sanctions.
