KALLAS ACCUSES RUSSIA Over Black Sea Drone Attacks as Bulgaria Says No Evidence | Times Now World

Honourable members, Russia is not winning on the battlefield in Ukraine. Instead, Putin is blatantly targeting civilians and stepping up hybrid attacks in the rest of Europe. The escalation in attacks in the Black Sea deserve specific attention, so thank you for setting up this debate. On Saturday, Romanian F-16 fighter jets shot down two drones over Romanian territorial waters. If the drones hadn't been intercepted, they could have hit potential targets, caused more destruction and killed more people on European soil. Six attacks in 10 days by suspected Russian drones marks a dangerous and unacceptable escalation in the Black Sea. Rescuers are still searching for seven sailors missing after the drone attack on two tankers near Romania's Black Sea coast. Since mid-July, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine's export routes. Ukraine is losing an estimated €60 million a day in export revenues. Ukraine is one of the world's most important agricultural exporters. It supplies 15% of global maize exports, 10% of wheat, 15-20% of barley, and 50% of global sunflower oil exports. Around 90% of these goods move through Black Sea Corridor. It is the single most important route for Ukrainian grain to reach international markets. Russia is attacking Ukraine's agricultural infrastructure, Black Sea and Danube ports, border crossing points, export facilities, vessels, shipping lanes, and destroying grain storage facilities. As Member States underlined at the European Council last week, Russia is intentionally weaponizing food and undermining global food security, in particular Africa, Asia and the Middle East. To avoid further deterioration of the situation, the European Council calls for the immediate restoration of safe passage for civilian shipping, merchant and commercial vessels in the Black Sea. Global grain prices are now at the highest level since February 2023. Global grain stockpiles are larger than in 2022 when Russia blockaded 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain. But the global food system is now facing a perfect storm. A super El Nino, drought in both hemispheres and conflict in the Middle East, straining fertilizer exports. There are now three choke points, Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, and Black Sea. Russia's actions make it harder to put food on people's plates across the world. And it requires a strong and united European response on three fronts. First, we work to keep Ukraine connected to global markets and protect food security. The EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes Initiative is helping to find alternative routes. Since July, grain exports through the Solidarity Lanes rose by almost 2 million tons. However, Russia is now also targeting border crossings with Moldova and Romania and Poland, which puts the alternative routes at risk too. That is also why we have to strengthen security along the Black Sea and Danube, and that's my second point. Early detection and real-time information sharing is key. Through European Defense Agency's MARSUR network, member states can exchange maritime surveillance information and improve their shared maritime situational awareness. The Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, which Romania and Bulgaria are jointly establishing with EU support, will strengthen situational awareness further. We also need faster collective decision-making when serious incidents occur. And that is the purpose of a proposed emergency protocol, meaning immediate political consultations and better coordination in major hybrid crises, including, of course, coordination with NATO. Europe also needs better capabilities to counter air and maritime threats. We are advancing joint capability development and procurement, including through a drone capability coalition. And the Eastern Flank Watch supports stronger surveillance and defense from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea in close coordination with NATO. The Black Sea is also full of mines. through the European Defense Agency, member states are already cooperating on next-generation maritime mine countermeasures, as well as the unmanned maritime systems. And third point is that we keep on working on the diplomatic front to increase the international pressure. At the UN General Assembly, 51 countries came together to condemn Russia and call Black Sea passage. We are now working with international partners, with Turkey, India, and others, including food-importing countries in Africa and more broadly global south, to push for a freedom of navigation arrangement in the Black Sea. A Black Sea arrangement would protect lives and vital supplies. Ukraine has proposed it. Russia has rejected it. And this is why, again, diplomatic engagement must go hand in hand with sustained pressure on Moscow and support for Ukraine. Thank you.