UN Security Council: Ukraine

Note:  A full summary of today’s Security Council meeting will be made available upon completion.

Briefings

ROSEMARY DICARLO, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said that the Russian Federation’s decision to terminate its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative has resulted in rising food prices around the globe.  Further, it has added to existing agricultural, energy and financial crises that are already severely impacting the world’s most vulnerable people.  “We have now witnessed a further blow to global food security, as Russia — for the fourth consecutive day — struck Ukraine’s Black Sea ports in Odessa, Chornomorsk and Mykolaiv with missiles and drones, destroying critical port infrastructure, facilities and grain supplies,” she reported.  These attacks have also resulted in civilian casualties, she added, noting that one person was reportedly killed and at least eight others were injured in Odessa, and that two were reportedly killed and 19 injured in Mykolaiv.

“We strongly condemn these attacks and urge Russia to stop them immediately,” she stressed, recalling the Secretary-General’s statement that the bombardment of Black Sea ports in Ukraine contradicts the Russian Federation’s commitments under its memorandum of understanding with the United Nations.  The new wave of attacks on Ukrainian ports risks far-reaching impacts on global food security, particularly in developing countries.  Pointing out that attacks against civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, she stressed:  “Threats regarding potential targeting of civilian vessels navigating in the Black Sea waters are unacceptable.”  Voicing concern over reports of mines laid in the Black Sea, she urged restraint from any further rhetoric or action that could deteriorate the already-dangerous situation.  “Any risk of conflict spill-over as a result of a military incident in the Black Sea – whether intentional or by accident — must be avoided at all costs, as this could result in potentially catastrophic consequences to us all,” she warned.

Pointing to a tragic pattern of attacks against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure, she reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) has documented damage to over 1,000 health-care facilities.  Since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has verified damage to 270 cultural sites, including 116 religious sites. Further, 3,467 educational institutions have suffered from bombing and shelling, with 335 of them destroyed. Also, according to UNESCO, 12 journalists and media workers have been killed since the start of the war. She highlighted that children in Ukraine continue to be disproportionately affected by the appalling high level of grave violations and are being killed and maimed by the use of explosive weapons with wide areas of effect in populated areas.  Millions of Ukrainians, including nearly two thirds of Ukrainian children, have been forced to leave their homes.

She also spotlighted other issues, such as the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam on 6 June and subsequent flooding, the worsening of the already volatile situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and the threat posed by unexploded ordnance, landmines and cluster munitions, which reportedly contaminate one third of the country.  “The events of the past week are but the latest developments in the Russian Federation’s senseless war against its neighbour, a war with consequences that can be felt around the world,” she stressed.  Warning that Moscow’s termination of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative — coupled with its bombardment of crucial ports — will further compound the crisis, she said the United Nations will not cease efforts to facilitate unimpeded access to global markets for food and fertilizers from both Ukraine and the Russian Federation.  “The only way to halt the catastrophe unfolding in Ukraine is to forge an end to the war based on international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter, and in line with General Assembly resolutions,” she underscored.

MARTIN GRIFFITHS, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported that an unprecedented $55 billion is required to meet the needs of the 362 million people in 69 countries who need humanitarian aid, with many humanitarian plans remaining severely underfunded.  “For millions of people around the world, the margins are fine, and their capacity to withstand further setbacks is limited,” he said.  “Almost exactly one year ago to the day, we celebrated the signing of the Black Sea [Grain] Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding on Russian food and fertilizer exports,” he recalled, citing these agreements as “a decisive international response” to spiralling food prices around the world.  However, their signing represented more than that — it was a demonstration that the international community could achieve innovative, daring solutions that “put humanity above politics”, even in the most extreme circumstances.

In the space of 12 months, the Black Sea Grain Initiative has enabled the safe export of close to 33 million metric tons of food from Ukrainian Black Sea ports to 45 countries aboard more than 1,000 outbound vessels, he continued. It has allowed the World Food Programme (WFP) to transport more than 725,000 metric tons of wheat in support of food-assistance operations in Afghanistan, Djibouti Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.  The Memorandum of Understanding has also delivered concrete results over the past year, supporting increased volumes of Russian Federation agricultural products reaching global markets.  Together, the Istanbul agreements contributed to sustained and essential reductions in global food prices.

Against this backdrop, he described the Russian Federation’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative as “immensely disappointing”.  Further, recent developments have been alarming:  Moscow’s strikes against port facilities in Odessa and other Ukrainian ports are reported to have injured civilians and damaged infrastructure essential to the export of food.  “Ukrainian farmers anxiously look on as they harvest crops nurtured in the shadow of war,” he stated.  Global grain prices have spiked, threatening to undo the hard-won progress achieved over the past year and push millions of people into hunger.  Wheat and corn futures have risen by almost 9 and 8 per cent, respectively, and 19 July saw the largest single-day increase in wheat prices since the full-scale invasion commenced.  Much of the world relies on the affordability of these staples, which is under threat yet again.  Higher prices will be most acutely felt by families in developing countries, who tend to spend a much higher share of their household income on food.

“The humanitarian catastrophe that continues to unfold in Ukraine — and that reverberates around the world — must end,” he asserted, adding that the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian ports and elsewhere may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.  Underscoring that food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and the Russian Federation remain of crucial importance to global food security, he said the United Nations will continue its engagement with all involved to ensure that their food and fertilizer can continue to reach global markets.  Accordingly, unified international support is essential, he emphasized, commending Türkiye’s tireless efforts in support of the Black Sea Initiative.  Recalling the 362 million people who need humanitarian aid, he observed that “some will go hungry, some will starve and many may die as a result of these decisions”.  He therefore implored the Council – and the world beyond it — to restore the spirit of “the beacon of hope that these two agreements represented”.

MIKHAIL KHAZIN, an independent macroeconomist, said that, unfortunately, there are no objective criteria for assessing market costs in connection with the Black Sea Grain Initiative.  When the deal was struck, there was a significant reduction in market costs.  However, the beginning of the deal coincided with a forecast for future harvests that was favourable in terms of cost.  “So, there is nothing surprising there,” he said.  The commercial export of grain — not humanitarian in nature — has had a “trivial” impact on delivery to poor countries, he said, adding that the impact of the grain deal is therefore not very significant.  Yet, as the market is currently excessively unbalanced, it is impossible to establish a stable prognosis and forecast for the situation.  He nevertheless said that the Russian Federation accounts for one third of grain exports — 30 million tons — under the deal, pointing out that its withdrawal would result in a market collapse.

Against that backdrop, he warned that sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation are making grain production in that country unprofitable — a situation that will significantly reduce next year’s grain delivery and constitute “a real disaster” in the market.  Although the United Nations and the United States maintain that food and fertilizers are not subject to sanctions, pressure is so strong that economic operators refuse to cooperate with the Russian Federation on the provision of these goods.  This will inevitably result in a significant shortage of grain in the global market in a year or two, and it is possible that the single global food market will collapse and disband into regional markets.  The Russian Federation’s participation in the grain deal has a far-greater impact on the market than that of Ukraine, he stressed.

Statements

GUSTAVO MANRIQUE, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility of Ecuador, deplored the Russian Federation’s announcement that it would suspend its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative.  Since the beginning of the invasion, the Secretary-General warned of the global consequences that the conflict would have, he recalled, noting that his country hosted a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regional conference in March 2022 — only a few weeks after the war began.  Even then, regional and global consequences were emerging as a central concern for Latin America and the Caribbean, he said.  Any threat or attack against civilian vessels in the Black Sea would be unacceptable, and he voiced concern over the increasing impact of the invasion on agriculture and rural livelihoods in Ukraine.  Stressing that attacks on humanitarian responders and their headquarters — including in Odessa and Mykolaiv — must stop, he further insisted that the Russian Federation allow humanitarian access in zones under its temporary control.

NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE (France) said that Moscow has crossed a new threshold in cynicism and irresponsibility — after endangering global food security by attacking Ukraine, it ended the Black Sea Grain Initiative.  Since then, it has shelled the ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Mykolaiv, and while millions of people are suffering from hunger, it has already destroyed more than 60,000 tons of grain.  That country also announced, via its Ministry of Defence, that “all vessels heading for Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea will be considered, from 20 July at midnight onwards, as potentially transporting military goods or equipment”.  The Russian Federation, therefore, shoulders responsibility for global food insecurity, and he recalled that the initiative enabled the export of nearly 33 million tons of grain in one year — more than half of which went to low- and middle-income countries.  By blocking exports from Ukrainian ports and driving up agricultural and food prices, Moscow is increasing the profit from its own exports to finance its war of aggression against Ukraine, he stressed.

RITA OSEI (Ghana), expressing disappointment at the non-renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said that diplomats however possess the capacity to bring hope where it has been lost.  Additional efforts are needed by the United Nations and all countries to help address the concerns that have consistently been expressed with regards to the ancillary memorandum, especially relating to the export of Russian Federation ammonia to global markets and the export of agricultural products and fertilizers.  Despite its limitations, the grain deal has contributed to stabilizing global food prices since July 2022, through the export of more than 32 million tons of food commodities from Ukraine.  To avoid the knock-on effects of the deal’s termination, efforts must be intensified to finding peace acceptable to both parties.  The further militarization of the conflict is not likely to change the dynamics on the ground, but would only prolong the suffering on both sides and the misery of the world.  To consider the possibility of other options may not be a realistic choice, she argued.

HANS MARTEN DIABA (Gabon) warned that the armed conflict in Ukraine is about to take another turn, just as dangerous as the previous one.  The quadripartite agreement between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, under the aegis of the United Nations and Turkey, guaranteed the safe export of grain via the Black Sea for a whole year, and has made it possible to avoid a spike in grain prices and the risk of food insecurity in certain regions such as the Horn of Africa, which suffers from recurrent drought. However, today, instability could worsen with the proliferation of crises, particularly humanitarian crises.  He urged all parties to truly engage in efforts to promote dialogue towards a diplomatic and economic solution that benefits everyone.  He also urged the Secretary-General to continue his discussions with all parties to break the current deadlock.