Odessa, a port under Russian blockade which paralyzes grain exports

The war in Ukraine raises fears of a global food crisis. On the shores of the Black Sea, Odessa (Ukraine) was the exit door from the breadbasket of Europe before the conflict. Now the port is under Russian blockade. 25 million tons of cereals, in particular wheat, are immobilized there. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asking for help from Western countries to resume exports.

This strategic trade route has become impracticable, due to the mines placed by Ukraine to prevent the Russians from arriving by sea. The two countries pass the buck to open Odessa. In this thorny issue, France offered its help to lift the blockade. But to pass boats in this zone supposes beforehand to demine, but the operation is delicate. Faced with the Russian fleet, can Westerners guarantee the safety of merchant ships? This is the other challenge of the lifting of the blockade of the Ukrainian port.