Meanwhile, the U.S. is steering talks on a Black Sea ceasefire and an agreement on safe passage, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Washington is reviewing proposals from Turkey forwarded in late October and is “open” to ideas from India.
An agreement would not end the conflict, Rubio said, but it would “solve a unique aspect” of it by easing the spillover on food security for vulnerable nations.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Oct. 21 that the bloc is working with Turkey, India and food-importing countries in Africa and other regions on a freedom-of-navigation deal. Ukraine has agreed to such an arrangement, she added, but Russia has rejected it.
Von der Leyen said the EU backs Ukraine’s call for a Black Sea ceasefire, referring to “the peace talks taking place in Abu Dhabi tomorrow with European presence.”
Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho gave no details on the proposals or the EU’s role. She noted a “common interest” in resolving disruptions, but declined to comment on the intentions of Turkey or the U.S.
Asked whether he foresaw a possible breakthrough this week, Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi was pessimistic. He said that Kyiv is “preparing to keep our farmers operating without access to the deep-water Black Sea ports for the long term.”