Royal Navy could escort grain ships through Black Sea in plan to break Russian blockade

telegraph.co.uk: British warships could join allies in a convoy to escort Ukrainian grain and alleviate a global food crisis.

In ongoing discussions, there are plans that countries may introduce a “coalition of the willing” that would break through Russia’s blockade by providing a “protective corridor” starting in Odesa and passing through the Bosphorus.

According to Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, he discussed the possibility with foreign secretary Liz Truss.

It could include some Nato countries, alongside others like Egypt, who are heavily reliant on the grain.

Allied navies would clear the area of mines and protect freight ships carrying produce from the Russian military.

The plan comes as Denmark says it will provide Ukraine with a Ukraine a harpoon launcher and missiles as part of a security agreement, Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, said on Monday.

With a range of 200 miles, they would allow Ukraine to target the six Black Sea Fleet ships and two submarines blockading the northwestern part of the Black Sea.

Russia “holding hostage the vulnerable countries of the world”, Mr Austin added.

He said countries “could provide ships or planes that would be stationed in the Black Sea and provide maritime passage for the grain ships to leave Odesa’s port and reach the Bosphorus in Turkey”.

Ms Truss said: “What we need to do is deal with this global food security issue and the UK is working on an urgent solution to get the grain out of Ukraine”.

The ongoing war has severely destabilised global trade, pushing many countries towards a hunger crisis.

Huge loads of grain and other essential items remain unused in Ukrainian warehouses.

Together, Ukraine and Russia are responsibly for the export of a third of the world's wheat and barley and half of its sunflower oil.