Pope Francis on Sunday welcomed the departure of the first grain ships previously blocked by Russia from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, saying the breakthrough could be a model for dialogue to end the war in Ukraine.
KYIV. UkraineGate . 8 . August . 2022 | Society .
The first ship, the Razoni, set sail on August 1, and seven more had set sail by Sunday thanks to a grain and fertilizer export deal between Moscow and Kyiv brokered last month by Turkey and the United Nations.
Quote
“This step shows that it is possible to have a dialogue to achieve concrete results that will help everyone,” Pope Francis said in his weekly address to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter’s Square.
“This event is a symbol of hope, and I sincerely hope that along the way we can put an end to hostilities and achieve a just and strong world,” he said.
Addition
Before the war, Russia and Ukraine together accounted for almost a third of world wheat exports.
The resumption of grain exports is under the control of the Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul, where Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and UN officials are inspecting the vessels.
In June, the Pope called for an end to the blockade of seaborne exports of wheat from Ukraine, saying that grain cannot be used as a “weapon of war.”
Source : Ukrgate