US plan alternative to the Kremlin: the attack in Odessa will not interfere with the export of grain

The Kremlin said yesterday that the export of Ukrainian grain from the port of Odessa can be carried out in accordance with the agreement signed under the auspices of the UN, despite Russian bombing of port facilities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the bombing was only aimed at military infrastructure. This has nothing to do with the possibilities of implementing the grain export agreement, therefore it cannot and should not interfere with the start of the loading process.” Russian attack. The agreement, signed on Friday in Istanbul, specifically provides for the creation of safe corridors for the passage of merchant ships in the Black Sea and the export of 20 to 25 million tons of grain. 90% of Ukrainian wheat, corn and sunflower seeds were exported by sea, mainly through the Black Sea port of Odessa, through which 60% of the country’s port activity passed. In turn, a senior US official said the United States was working with Ukraine on an alternative plan to stop grain exports after Russia attacked the port of Odessa. USAID Administrator Samantha Power told CNN the alternative plan includes road, rail and river roads, as well as adjusting rail systems to better match European ones so exports can move faster. “We are preparing a contingency plan because you can’t trust anything that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin says,” she added. She noted that, despite the emergency plan, “Putin has no alternative to lifting the blockade and exporting grain in the most efficient way.” Power called on countries that play a leading role in the international system to do more to prevent the food crisis from turning into a catastrophe.