Key facts
- Zelenskiy asked Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary to allow grain transit.
- Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar agreed to the transit if it passes through the country.
- The proposed transit is modeled on a solution from the start of the war.
- Ukraine is a top producer of wheat, corn, and sunflower seeds.
- Around 90% of Ukraine's grain exports typically go through the Black Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has requested that neighboring countries, including Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary, allow the transit of Ukrainian grain cargoes due to a Black Sea blockade. Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar stated on Saturday that he would not object to the measure if the grain only passes through Hungary to other destinations. Magyar indicated that the transit would follow a model proposed early in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine is a major global producer of wheat, corn, and sunflower seeds, with most of its exports historically relying on Black Sea ports, which have been severely impacted by Russian attacks. The European Commission has forecast a near two-decade low for the EU's maize harvest this year, significantly below the average of the past three years, with France and Hungary particularly affected by heat and drought.