NATO Chief Stoltenberg says Greece offered its ships to transport grain from Ukraine

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on June 30 that Greece is willing to provide ships to help export grain from Ukraine's Black Sea ports that have been closed by Russia. Furr, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed NATO chief's announcement saying that his country plays a special role in this effort because it controls world's largest merchant fleet.

"Greece announced that y are rey to make available ships to get grain out of Ukraine," Stoltenberg said during a press briefing on last day of NATO summit in Mrid.

Mitsotakis informed reporters, "Greece, once again, is offering to help and support any effort me, under auspices of United Nations, in order for grain currently trapped in Ukraine, primarily in Odesa, to leave Ukraine and eventually end up in countries that need it today."

Furr, according to region's Moscow-appointed official, a fleet carrying 7,000 tonnes of grain sailed from Ukraine's occupied port of Berdyansk on June 30, marking first grain shipment since start of hostilities. ships and boats of Black Sea Fleet's Novorossiysk naval base, according to Yevhen Balitsky, he of Zaporizhzhia region's military-civilian ministration, ensured cargo ship's safety.

Ukraine has accused Russia and its allies of stealing its grain

Berdyansk is a port city in souastern Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraine has accused Russia and its allies of stealing its grain, contributing to a global food shortage caused by suspension of grain exports from Ukrainian ports.  sourn Ukrainian regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia have been largely under Russian control since first weeks of Moscow's invasion, and are now being forcibly integrated into Russia's economy.

Ukraine is a significant global wheat exporter, accounting for 9% of global market. It also controls 42% of global sunflower oil market and 16% of global maize market. While global grain prices continue to rise, between 20 and 25 million tonnes of wheat are stuck in Ukraine due to a Russian blocke of Black Sea ports and Russian and Ukrainian mines along coast.

UN is leing efforts to establish a "grain corridor" for tankers departing from Odesa and or Ukrainian ports, with a Turkish naval escort. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, on or hand, has stated that Ukraine's Black Sea ports must be cleared of mines.