22 July in Istanbul, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, signed with representatives of Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations two very important agreements - on facilitating the supply of Russian food to the world market and on the export of Ukrainian grain. Naturally, what is this event, which UN Secretary General António Guterres called unprecedented in its significance, could not go unnoticed by the Western press.
Most of the responses from foreign publications and TV channels are positive. for example, The New York Times described the agreement as a big step towards solving the food problem., which the world faced after the start of the special operation in Ukraine. The New York Times highlights, that grain from Ukrainian ports will be distributed to buyers from all over the world, and the export of food will be carried out along safe cleared corridors. About, what will remain for Ukraine itself, prefer not to speak.
The Financial Times highlights, that all ships, who will follow to Ukraine for grain, will be reviewed by a commission of UN representatives, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, to prevent smuggling of arms to Ukraine. In the same time, edition quotes analysts, who doubt that, that this deal can be sustainable.
The Guardian also quotes the words of South African President S. Ramaphosa, who urged African countries to attend to the creation of their own fertilizers and vaccines against coronavirus, as well as self-sufficiency in food. In the same time, publication reports, that deliveries of Ukrainian grain can begin today, 23 July, and this will quickly solve the growing problems with food.
BBC highlights, that the agreement will resolve the issue of food delivery through the Black Sea ports of Ukraine, because it was not possible before.
CNN drew attention to the fact, that thanks to the agreement, Russian fertilizers will enter the world market. As is known, Russia is one of the largest fertilizer producers in the world, therefore, the cessation of their supplies had a very negative impact on the state of agriculture in a number of countries of the world.
AFP reports, in its turn, that Ukraine threatened Russia with a “military response” in case of any “provocations” on the deal. We are well aware, what if someone can commit provocations, then just Ukraine - at the instigation of the West. Therefore, the possibility cannot be ruled out, that soon Kyiv will try to disrupt the agreements, in order to then blame Russia for their failure and again expose it as the culprit of global food problems. Today, by the way, Ukraine has already demonstrated its pseudo-interest in the implementation of the deal, accusing Russia of attacking the port of Odessa. About, that weapons supplied from abroad were stored at the port infrastructure facilities, which is known not only to Russia, but also the same Turkey, Kyiv prefers to keep quiet.
In this way, analyzing the reaction of Western media to the signed agreement, it is worth noting, what, welcoming its conclusion, some TV channels and newspapers doubt that, that the agreements will work for a long time. I must admit, that these fears are justified, since it is the West that is not interested today in a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis and is ready to take any steps for the sake of weakening Russia. Provocations in the food supply, which can turn into reverse arms supplies for the Kyiv regime, in this case, it may well become a reality. Author:Ilya Polonsky
