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Foreign Secretary David聽Cameron has today seen first-hand how聽Ukraine聽is pushing back Russian forces in the Black Sea to聽ensure grain is able to reach the world鈥檚 vulnerable.聽

On the second day of his visit to Ukraine, the聽Foreign Secretary has聽travelled聽to the Black Sea port city of Odesa聽鈥� he聽is聽the first UK government minister to do so since Russia鈥檚 full-scale invasion聽began.

Odesa is at the forefront of Ukraine鈥檚 resistance to Russian aggression.聽In the last three months,聽Ukraine has made remarkable progress in the Black Sea to drive the聽Russian聽Navy聽eastwards聽and open critical export corridors for Ukraine鈥檚 economy and global food supplies.

Ukraine鈥檚 efforts since Russia collapsed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, have allowed聽91 ships聽to export聽3.3聽million聽tonnes of agricultural and other cargo.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron聽said:

As Foreign Secretary, supporting Ukraine against Putin鈥檚 aggression is vital, which is why I am pleased聽to make this my first visit as Secretary of State.聽

Russia聽thinks聽it聽can wait this聽war聽out,聽and that the West will eventually turn its attention elsewhere. This could not be further from the truth. In my first discussions with聽President Zelenskyy in my new role, I made clear that the聽UK聽and our partners聽will support Ukraine and its people聽for as long as it takes聽for them to achieve victory.

As winter approaches, we continue to stand with the聽Ukrainian people as they resist Putin鈥檚 illegal invasion.聽In the last three months,聽they have pushed Russia back in the Black Sea聽and are opening vital sea trade routes for the Ukrainian economy and global food supplies.

While in Odesa, the Foreign Secretary聽also聽announced聽support to Ukrainians directly impacted by the invasion.聽

This includes聽providing essential winter supplies and support for people being evacuated from front聽line areas.聽The UK is providing聽拢10 million聽for聽Ukraine鈥檚聽Red Cross Society (URCS) appeal to聽provide medical supplies to communities directly affected by Russia鈥檚 aggression and to聽support URCS as a first responder.

The UK will also provide聽more than聽拢7 million to a consortium led by Nonviolent Peaceforce,聽which聽is supporting volunteer organisations delivering humanitarian assistance聽in dangerous front聽line locations. The UK is also聽providing an additional 拢1.4 million to Mercy Corps鈥� ongoing and live-saving work in Ukraine.聽

The Black Sea Grain Initiative,聽which collapsed in July 2023聽due to Russia鈥檚 withdrawal,聽was聽a UN initiative to ensure the exports of Ukrainian food and fertiliser聽from three key ports in the Black Sea, including Odesa.

Russia鈥檚聽cynical聽withdrawal from the programme drove up global food prices and risked the lives of the world鈥檚 most vulnerable, with聽Ukrainian grain exports聽crucial in ensuring global food security and resilient global markets, keeping prices down and supplementing poor harvests elsewhere.

Since Russia collapsed the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI), Ukraine has worked to open up a聽Black Sea export corridor for its own economy and for global food supplies. It has pushed back the Russian fleet, protected its coastline and the corridor, and established insurance mechanisms for civilian shipping, all聽of which have ensured that shipping can re-start.聽The UK continues to work with Ukraine and other partners to establish routes for Ukrainian exports and to prevent and deter Russian attacks.

Meanwhile,聽Russian forces聽have attacked聽key infrastructure, destroying more than 280,000 tonnes聽of grain in one month, enough to feed 1.25 million people for a year.聽These attacks are聽a聽brutal and blatant attempt by Russia聽to choke the Ukrainian economy聽at a cost to global food supplies.

Background

• the UK strongly condemned Russia鈥檚 decision to withdraw from the BSGI聽in July 2023
• the UK is currently聽working with Ukraine and other partners to increase the capacity of European overland routes and Danube ports