US not planning to escort Ukrainian grain cargo ships, says White House
The U.S. has no plans to escort Ukrainian freighters carrying grain in the Black Sea, and this matter was not discussed with allies, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby, said in an interview with Voice of America on July 27.
"No, there's no active discussion now about inserting warships into the Black Sea," Kirby said.
"I think we all understand that that will only escalate the tensions and increase the odds of conflict between the West and Russia and that's not what we're looking for."
The official stressed that the U.S. wants the grain to get out of Ukraine to the global market and is looking for a way to extend a UN-brokered deal on the matter.
Russia officially terminated its participation in the so-called ‘grain deal’ on July 17, which had previously allowed Ukrainian grain export through the Black Sea to countries at risk of food insecurity. Officially, Russia alleged that its unilateral withdrawal from the agreement was due to Ukrainian attacks on the Kerch Bridge, which connects occupied Crimea to the Russian mainland.
Moscow has withdrawn guarantees of safety of navigation in the Black Sea as well.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed extending the grain deal with the UN and Turkey only, without Russia, though Turkey has yet to commit to armed escorts of Ukrainian grain cargo.
The U.S. is looking for alternative ground or river routes for Ukraine to export grain, Kirby added.
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