US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said it would be “very, very difficult” to resume grain supplies from Ukraine because Russia is threatening to destroy civilian ships in the Black Sea.
Source: Blinken at the Aspen Security Forum, quoted Voice of America
Direct speech: “We are working with allies, working with other partners, with Ukraine to consider other options.
But I have to tell you that I don’t think it’s possible to make up for the lost volumes that stopped with this initiative in other ways.
Therefore, we will do our best. But this greatly interferes with transportation.
Details: Blinken added that, along with partners and carriers, the United States is looking for alternatives to the sea route, because it will be “very, very difficult” to restore commercial shipping.
Because it would be very difficult for carriers and insurers to work in such an environment, “given the threats and more than threats, the actions that Russia has taken over the past few days.”
He noted that Russia does not even hint, but directly threatens that it will attack ships that will call at Ukrainian ports in order to take food to world markets.
“Four days later, since they pulled out of this arrangement, what have they done? Russia has been bombing Odessa port daily. They have laid more mines and threatened shipping.
In fact, just yesterday they did an exercise that they deliberately made public where they simulated an attack on a ship.
What does this tell you about their intentions? What does that tell you about the lack of any elementary decency when it comes to getting food where it needs to go?” asked the US Secretary of State rhetorically.
Asked by the presenter about the “false flag operation” that CIA chief William Burns had earlier warned about at the Security Form in Aspen, Blinken said: “We expressed real concern about this.
I think you heard Bill Burns talk about it, also John Kirby said from the White House podium. Again, this is something that is an integral part of the Russian scenario.”
Background:
2023-07-21 21:58:01
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