Zelenskyy warns Egypt of Black Sea food security threats as Russia rejects maritime ceasefire
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has cautioned Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that ongoing Russian strikes on commercial shipping in the Black Sea pose a direct threat to regional food security and grain exports across Africa and the Middle East. Speaking via X, Zelenskyy noted that significant supply reductions are already driving up global grain prices and warned of severe consequences if attacks on cargo vessels persist.
In response to proposals for a maritime truce, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova rejected a third-party proposal from Kyiv to halt strikes on civilian shipping. Moscow dismissed the initiative as a “half-measure” that would merely grant Ukrainian forces operational breathing space, accusing Kyiv of attempting to destabilise Black Sea shipping routes.
The diplomatic standoff coincides with several broader geopolitical developments across the region. Russian authorities acknowledged domestic petrol shortages after a Ukrainian strike forced the six-month closure of the Orsk oil refinery, located 1,300 km from the front line. Meanwhile, Polish officials warned that Russian cyber actors are exploiting historical grievances over World War II massacres to strain relations between Warsaw and Kyiv. Further escalating regional concerns, Romanian defence officials confirmed that a second unidentified drone crashed inside NATO territory near the border village of Plauru, whilst Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed deep security cooperation with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during commemorations marking the end of Japanese colonial rule.
