Baltic Block Of Russian Grain May Open Black Sea, Latvia Says

By Milda Seputyte and Aaron Eglitis

Oct 16, 2026 (Bloomberg) –Europe should block the transit of Russian grain through Baltic ports as that may force Moscow to seek ways to open trading on the Black Sea, Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said. 

Russia and Ukraine have attacked each other’s ports, terminals and shipping infrastructure in the Black Sea, sharply cutting exports of key commodities such as grain. Moscow has diverted some of these grain shipments to Latvian and Lithuanian ports over rail, sparking criticism in the Baltic countries, which are European Union and NATO members.

“It’s needed that we put the right pressure in order for Russia to understand that they need themselves to open the Black Sea,” Kulbergs said in an interview in Brussels on Friday. Ukraine needs to be able to sell its grain, to partly fill in the financing gap its facing this winter, he added. 

Read Also: UK Tightens Russian Oil Sanctions as U.S. Weighs Relief

Kulbergs said unilateral actions by the Baltic countries raised litigation risks and joined calls of Estonia and Lithuania for an EU ban. 

“It’s in all of our interests,” he said. “We’re now talking about money and support for Ukraine, which they need this winter.

© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

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