“We’ve seen that the grain deal is unlikely to go through, but this is an escalation – after a number of escalations we’ve already seen,” said Michael Magdowitz, senior analyst at Rabobank in London. He said that the crops of Ukrainian farmers “come to harvest at the same time when their export capacity stops.”
The ministry said via Telegram that countries that flag ships sailing to Ukraine would be considered by Kyiv to take part in the conflict. It added that some marine areas in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea have been declared temporarily as marine navigational areas.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Ukraine is examining options to get the grain corridor working again after Russia announced its exit from the deal on Monday, including possible flotillas of ships, according to Interfax.
Read more: Ukraine’s plea to keep grain clashes moving with shippers’ realities.
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports are a vital artery for grain sales abroad – which historically accounted for the bulk of shipments – and the harvest season is well underway. While Ukraine can still ship grain by river, road and rail, it is more complex and expensive than its deep-sea ports and closing the passage could slow the next crop’s arrival to market.