According to Ukrainian sources, Russia continues to restrict grain exports by delaying ship inspections. “It used to be 40 inspections a day, now there are five times fewer inspections due to Russia’s position,” Ukraine’s Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov wrote on his official Facebook page.
Ports are underutilized, but exports are still falling
Around 4.2 million tons of grain left the Ukrainian ports in October; according to Kubrakov, less than three million tons will be exported in November. 77 ships are waiting for the inspections in Turkey, although the three Black Sea ports are only half utilized. In mid-November, Russia confirmed the extension of the grain agreement with Ukraine, which is important for global food exports.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, meanwhile, does not want to cut back on the aid given to Ukraine by his predecessors. This emerges from an excerpt of a speech that the head of government intends to hold on Monday. “We will stand by Ukraine as long as it is necessary. And we will maintain or increase the level of our military aid in the coming year. And we will provide new aid for air defense,” Sunak will say. According to national figures, Great Britain is the country with the largest armaments aid for Ukraine following the USA with 2.3 billion pounds (2.7 billion euros).