Zelenskyy says Russia may be left without a ship if attacks on Ukraine continue

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia may be left without a ship in the Black Sea if the country’s attacks on Ukraine and blockade of its territorial waters continue.

“If Russia continues to dominate the Black Sea and block it with missiles, then Ukraine will do the same, which is a fair defense of our capabilities. If they keep firing, we don't have many weapons, but if they keep firing, they might be out of ships by the end of the war,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with Argentinian daily newspaper La Nacion on Monday.

Expressing that Ukraine has to prove it has the right to import and export products through its territorial waters, Zelenskyy further said that Russia intends to push the situation into a “stalemate” because it is “not capable of winning.”

“That is why Ukraine will surely respond to any attack against our civilian population, against our grain corridors. We want to show that they are not the ones who should influence everyone," Zelenskyy added.

On July 17, Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea grain deal, saying the Russian part of the agreement was not implemented. It sought the loosening of banking restrictions and the ability to ship its fertilizer before returning to the agreement.

The agreement, signed in July 2022 in Istanbul by Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine, was aimed at resuming grain exports from Ukrainian ports halted due to the Russia-Ukraine war, which began in February 2022.

Türkiye has said that Western countries should try to address Russia's complaints and that it hopes Russia returns to the deal.