Russia has blocked Ukrainian ports from shipping.
President Biden’s administration is working to get temporary storage containers for Ukrainian grain into that country, a stopgap measure as it seeks to mitigate a growing food crisis caused by Russia’s months-long blockade of Ukrainian ports.
The storage containers, such as bags or boxes, could help salvage some of the more than 20 million tons of grain that are currently stuck inside Ukraine. They could also help Ukraine load the grain onto trains or trucks out of the country once overland routes are established.
At the same time, efforts are underway for the U.S. and its international partners to find a quick and absolute solution to lifting the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports.
The lack of grain from Ukraine has raised global food prices and threatened to cause a catastrophic food shortage in some parts of the world. The foreign minister of Lithuania said, “From a practical perspective, the only option is still try and see how to unblock Odessa. Every option should be explored and if possible, every option should be used… but unfortunately, without exploring and going forward with the Odessa option, I don’t think that there’s any other way. … If Russians don’t allow it, we need to, as a global community, we need to find a solution how to do it without Russian agreement.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the president to seek God’s wisdom as the U.S. looks to resolve the blockade of grain.
- For Secretary Vilsack to be discerning in addressing the production and flow of agricultural produce.
- For USDA officials as they seek to support the food supply chain.
Sources: CNN, Fox News
