US Deeply Concerned By Situation In Black Sea - White House

The United States is deeply concerned by the situation in the Black Sea, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton told reporters on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th July, 2023) The United States is deeply concerned by the situation in the Black Sea, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton told reporters on Thursday.

"We are deeply concerned about what we are seeing in the Black Sea right now," Dalton said. "We are now seeing three straight days of Russia's missile and drone attacks on port cities on the Black Sea that are part of the continued attack on Ukraine in an effort to essentially reinstate its blockade of the Ukrainian Black Sea ports."

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that it will consider all ships in the Black Sea that are sailing to Ukrainian ports as potential military cargo carriers starting July 20, adding that flags of countries of such vessels will be considered involved in the conflict on Kiev's side.

The statement of the Russian Defense Ministry on tankers and unsafe zones in the Black Sea is connected with the termination of the grain deal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.

On Monday, the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which provided for a humanitarian corridor to allow exports of Ukrainian grain over the past year, expired as Russia did not extend its participation. Moscow has been repeatedly critical of the fact that the deal's provisions pertaining to Russia had not been fulfilled.