India, Turkey, Egypt propose safe passage for ships carrying Ukrainian grain, Russia refuses: Zelenskyy

Ukraine is holding talks with India, Turkey and Egypt to restore safe shipping routes through the Black Sea and resume agricultural exports disrupted by Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

The three countries have proposed allowing vessels sailing under their flags to transport food through Ukrainian and Russian ports, but Moscow has opposed the arrangement, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

In an interview with Bloomberg News, Zelenskyy said the proposal would allow ships from India, Turkey and Egypt to enter ports on both sides of the conflict under an agreement protecting them from attacks.

"One ship heading to our port, and the other to Russian and we accept agreements not to strike either of these vessels," Zelenskyy told Bloomberg.

He said Russia had rejected the proposal despite repeated appeals from intermediaries in India, Turkey and Egypt.

Ukraine's Black Sea ports are its main route for exporting agricultural products, particularly grain. The ports have the capacity to ship up to 40 million tons of grain during a marketing season.

However, shipments have been halted since August following Russian air attacks on port infrastructure and commercial vessels. "We cannot manage this volume of shipments by rail," Zelenskyy told Bloomberg.

The proposed arrangement would allow ships operating under Indian, Turkish and Egyptian flags to travel safely to both Ukrainian and Russian ports, helping restore the movement of agricultural commodities.

Under the proposal described by Zelenskyy, the warring countries would agree not to target vessels covered by the arrangement. However, the talks have yet to produce an agreement, with Russia continuing to oppose the plan, according to the Ukrainian president.

Ukraine's grain exports fall sharply

The disruption has severely affected Ukraine's ability to ship food to international markets.

According to Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry, the country is currently able to export only 38% of its regular volumes.

The restrictions followed a series of Russian strikes on Ukraine's civilian port infrastructure after Kyiv targeted vessels associated with Russia's so-called shadow fleet last summer.

The shadow fleet consists largely of vessels used to transport Russian oil and fuel products, including shipments affected by Western sanctions.

The attacks and counterattacks have increased risks for commercial shipping in the Black Sea, a critical route for agricultural trade.

With Black Sea shipping severely restricted, Ukraine has also approached the European Union to revive its solidarity lanes programme.

The initiative was introduced after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, allowing Ukrainian agricultural products to move through European railway networks and ports.

"We are asking the EU to reinstate the 'solidarity lanes' to facilitate grain exports," Zelenskyy said. "Everyone needs this grain."

The Ukrainian president said rail transport alone could not replace the shipping capacity of the country's Black Sea ports.