Egypt has announced that it will no longer accept grain exported by russia from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The decision follows an agreement between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and marks a shift in policy by the world’s largest wheat importer, according to ProAgro Group.
Previously, Egypt had been actively purchasing russian grain—imports in the 2025/26 marketing year reached approximately 7.6–8 million tons, part of which originated from Ukrainian territories occupied by russia. Moscow had attempted to legitimize these supplies by proposing the creation of a “grain and energy hub” in Egypt to strengthen its market position.
Cairo now plans to increase direct imports from Ukraine, sending an important diplomatic signal: global players are willing to отказаться от продукции originating from illegally occupied territories. This decision could impact global grain prices, as Egypt is one of the world’s largest buyers, while also reducing the risks of international sanctions and conflicts for the country.
As reported, Egypt’s total wheat imports in the first two months of 2026 amounted to 2.3 million tons, or an average of 1.16 million tons per month. In February’s import structure, russian wheat accounted for 57.5% (797 thousand tons), Romanian wheat for 13.6% (189 thousand tons), and Ukrainian wheat for 13.5% (186 thousand tons).
