Global concern over Russia’s suspension of the grain agreement with Ukraine WGN 720 Radio

Kyiv, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden has warned that world hunger could rise after Russia suspended a U.N.-brokered deal to ensure the safe passage of ships carrying Ukrainian grain.

“It’s really outrageous,” Biden said in a speech in Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday. “There is no merit in what they are doing. The UN made this deal and that should be the end of it.”

Biden spoke hours after Russia announced it would immediately end its participation in the agreement, alleging that Ukraine staged a drone strike on a Russian Black Sea Fleet ship off the coast of occupied Crimea on Saturday. Ukraine denies the attack.

The Grain Initiative has allowed more than 9 million tons of grain on 397 ships to safely leave Ukrainian ports since it was signed in July. It was supposed to be restored at the end of November. The grain deal has managed to reduce global food prices, which have fallen about 15% from their peak in March, according to the United Nations.

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, called this decision predictable and said that Russia has been deliberately worsening the food crisis since September. At the moment, 176 vessels loaded with grain are not leaving the ports of Ukraine, he said.

“This is food for more than 7 million consumers. … Why can a handful of people somewhere in the Kremlin decide whether food will be on the tables of people in Egypt or Bangladesh?” he said in his late-night address to the nation on Saturday.

Russia’s action caused international condemnation. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Barel, called on Russia to reverse its decision in a tweet on Sunday. Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said the world body is in contact with Russian authorities and it is vital that all parties refrain from any action that could hinder the grain initiative.

Russia has for some time been setting conditions for withdrawing from the agreement, the Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War said. Even if Ukraine had ordered a strike against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, it would have been proportionate to Russia’s bombing campaign against Ukrainian civilian targets and infrastructure in recent weeks, the report added.

Earlier this month, Moscow stepped up its missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian power plants, waterworks and other key infrastructure, damaging 40% of Ukraine’s electricity system and forcing the government to impose permanent blackouts.

Russian attacks continue across the country.

Over the past 24 hours, Russian missiles have killed at least five people and injured nine, according to a statement from the president’s office. In the course of fierce fighting in the east of Ukraine, Russia is trying to capture the city of Bakhmut, several centers and villages in the area were shelled.

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Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine