Pope Francis has urged Russia to rejoin the deal that allows grain to be shipped out of Ukraine through the Black Sea.
The Ukraine grain deal has been crucial for stabilizing global food prices and averting shortages, and its disruption has caused renewed concerns.
Speaking during his weekly Angelus prayer, the Pope stressed the need for the Russian Federation to restore the initiative so that the grain can be transported safely. He called on Russia to act with concern for the lives of others, and to ensure the global food supply is protected.
He said “I am calling on my brothers, the authorities in the Russian Federation, to re-establish the Black Sea initiative so that the wheat could be safely transported.
“We are constantly praying for martyred Ukraine, where the war is destroying everything, including the wheat, which is a major offence to God because wheat is his gift to feed humanity and the cries of millions of our brothers and sisters suffering from hunger are lifting to the sky.”
Two weeks ago, Russia refused to extend a United Nations- and Turkey-brokered deal that allowed for the safe passage of Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea.
Moscow withdrew from the agreement after protesting for months that the parts of the deal that allowed for the export of Russian fertiliser were not honoured.. As a result, wheat prices have increased.
(AFP)