Poland’s Sikorski Calls for Rapid Black Sea Ceasefire to Let Grain Ships Pass
Radoslaw Sikorski says poorer countries need grain from both Ukraine and Russia. He also says Moscow should not sell energy to Europe again until the war ends fairly.
ATLANTA, Oct 31 – Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has urged an immediate ceasefire in the Black Sea to allow grain ships from both Ukraine and Russia to sail safely.
Radoslaw Sikorski also said that Moscow must bring its war against Ukraine to an end before it is allowed to resume selling energy to Europe.
He made the remarks to reporters on Friday during a two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 major economies in Atlanta. His comments came amid wider discussions over the war’s impact on global food supplies, energy markets and international security.
Sikorski said he had pressed for swift action, arguing that delays would hurt countries far beyond Europe. “The people of the Global South need this grain,” he said, referring to poorer nations across Africa, Asia and Latin America that depend heavily on imported food. He suggested that restoring stable grain supplies was not only a humanitarian necessity but also a test of whether major powers could cooperate despite deep political divisions.
Ukraine and Russia are both major exporters of wheat, corn and other grains. Much of that grain leaves through ports on the Black Sea. The war has made those shipping routes risky.
This isn’t the first effort to protect the trade. In July 2022, a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey let Ukraine ship grain from three of its ports. Russia pulled out of that deal a year later, saying its own food and fertilizer exports were still being blocked.
Radoslaw Sikorski was invited to the Atlanta meeting by the United States, which is hosting the group this year. He said Ukraine must be part of any effort to end Russia’s invasion, which is now in its fifth year.
Europe should also be involved, he said. Radoslaw Sikorski argued that Europe holds “cards” of its own in the matter.
He also called for a fair and lasting end to the war before Russia is permitted to resume selling oil and gas to Europe. Europe was once Russia’s most profitable energy market, and any reopening of that trade could carry significant political and economic consequences.
Poland’s own position within the group also featured prominently in discussions in Atlanta. Although Poland is not a full member of the Group of 20, it is represented through the European Union, as are Germany and France. Unlike those two countries, however, Poland does not hold an individual seat at the table.
The United States, which holds the group’s rotating presidency this year, has proposed granting Poland full membership. Radoslaw Sikorski welcomed the proposal, saying it would give Poland a more direct voice in global economic and security discussions. He added that he had raised the issue in one-on-one meetings with several member countries during the gathering in Atlanta.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed the move. Speaking at a reception for the ministers at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Marco Rubio said Poland deserves to be a full member.
He said President Donald Trump believes Poland’s economic success and growing international influence make it a valuable addition to the group at a time when major economic challenges require broader cooperation.
Russia, however, sees the matter differently. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters, according to Russian news agencies, that inviting Poland to the group’s meetings would be counterproductive. Lavrov argued that the move departs from established diplomatic practice. He said bodies of this kind are meant to operate by consensus and that extending an invitation to Poland runs counter to the principles of diplomacy.
That matters, because the group makes decisions by consensus. Western officials say it could take years for Poland to win full membership, given Russia’s opposition.
Still, Poland has some momentum. Radoslaw Sikorski said Britain, which will lead the group next year, has already invited Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to the 2027 leaders’ summit. That summit will be held in Manchester, England.
