Helping Ukraine in the Cold War: The First Grain for Food Aid shipments in the Black Sea and the United States’ support for the fight against terrorism

As Ukrainians courageously stand their ground, we Americans can help. The first two Grain for Food Aid shipments in the Black Sea were supported by our foundation in cooperation with the World Food Programme and the US Agency for International Development. Last summer, we donated thousands of pounds of vegetable seeds to Ukrainian families for home gardens. We are helping farmers clear their fields of mines.

Last weekend, Moscow announced it would stop participating in the deal after an attack on its Black Sea fleet, immediately leading to concerns about global food security. After securing written assurance from Ukraine that the shipping corridors would not be used for military purposes, Russia reversed its decision.

No one knows when and how the war will end. When it does, it will take many years for Ukraine to recover. In the meantime, there are things we can do to help.

The Harvest of a Soldier: Growing Stronger Together in the War for the Defense of Children, Families, and the Children in Rural America

The Howard G. Buffet Foundation works to improve the lives of people in poverty by investing in public safety, food security, and fighting human traffickers. He is also a photographer. He has his own ideas about what’s going on. Read more opinion on CNN.

A convoy of combine harvesters may be seen in a rural area during the fall harvest. As likely as not, the drivers of these huge machines are going to a farm they don’t know to harvest a crop they never planted for a farmer they’ve never met. They don’t ask for a penny in return.

It is part of a common act of generosity in farm country. When a sick farmer cannot harvest in time, neighbors and strangers show up to help, because the harvest waits for no one.

Rural America has a strong farmer-to-farmer ethic. It is something I think about when I arrive home in Illinois after a fourth visit to Ukraine during the war. Farmers who have struggled to harvest and plant their fields since Russia invaded them have compelled me to extend this generous spirit farther.

All wars are brutal, but Russian President Vladimir Putin’s onslaught has been particularly savage to civilians. Despite Russia’s denial of responsibility, each week brings news of more humanitarian atrocities, mass graves and the systematic torture of soldiers and civilians.

Millions of Ukrainians have been without electricity because of missile and drone attacks on their energy infrastructure. Children and the elderly have been slaughtered as Russia’s military has aimed its firepower at schools, playgrounds, religious sites, hospitals, residential neighborhoods – and farms.

I am not a soldier or politician. But as a farmer and philanthropist who has worked on global food-security issues for more than 20 years, I know that when farms are destroyed, the damage spreads far and wide, and recovery is prolonged. People go hungry.

The coordinates of the farm were given to the Ukrainian military in order to bomb the soldiers. A new friend didn’t have insurance for his tractor, and had to give up his assets to make up for it. He gave up the farm to protect his country. He told me he would do it again if necessary. I heard a version of this story more than once in Ukraine.

I arrived at a new Congress taking shape and thinking about the bravery and determination of our Ukrainian friends and hope US leaders remain steadfast in their support. I’ll continue to try to help Ukrainians any way I can and urge all Americans to join me.

The Ukrainian agricultural production vessel inventory: a statement on the queue waiting for inspection by the Joint Coordination Centre in Bosphorus (Russa)

There are 23 vessels currently being processed with 734,000 tonnes of Ukrainian agricultural products on them.

The statement also added that “92 vessels are awaiting inspection by the JCC (the Joint Coordination Centre) in Bosphorus,” but claimed that the queue continues to grow because of “Russia’s artificial restriction on registration for the inspection.”