Pope urges Russia to restore Black Sea grain deal: ‘a grave insult to God’
- The grain deal that expired on July 17 had allowed Ukraine to export grain from its seaports despite the ongoing war
- Pope Francis has repeatedly condemned Russia’s war but has also sought to keep an open channel of communication with Moscow, with limited results
“I appeal to my brothers, the authorities of the Russian Federation, so that the Black Sea initiative may be resumed and grain may be transported safely,” Francis said during his weekly Angelus message.
The leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics said “the cry of millions of brothers and sisters who are suffering from hunger is rising up to the sky”.
In a message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the pope’s words.
“The reaction of the world’s religious leaders to the Russian missile terror and destruction of Ukrainian agricultural products is extremely important to protect the whole world, and especially the peoples of Africa and Asia, who suffer the most from the threat of hunger, from a food crisis,” he wrote.
Russia walked out of the Black Sea deal last week after saying its demands to ease sanctions on its own grain and fertiliser exports had not been met. Moscow also complained that not enough grain had reached poor countries.
Since the conflict in Ukraine broke out last year, Francis has repeatedly condemned Russia’s war of aggression, but has also sought to keep an open channel of communication with Moscow, with limited results.
In May, he tasked the head of the Italian bishops’ conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, to act as a peace envoy. Zuppi has so far been to Kyiv, Moscow and Washington and is working on the repatriation of children from Russia and Russia-controlled areas to Ukraine.