The UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Amir Abdulla, tweeted on Monday that civilian cargo ships can never be held hostage or targeted militarily, and that "the food must flow" under the deal from which Russia withdrew on the weekend.

Abdulla's comments came after the United Nations, Türkiye and Ukraine pressed ahead with the transit plan despite Russia claiming that it could not "guarantee the safety of civilian ships" following an attack on its Black Sea fleet.