Ukraine, a top grain exporter because of its fertile soil, is now the most heavily mined country. The cost to demine it is expected to exceed $30 billion.

Ss we mark the third anniversary of Russia’s war on the valiant people of Ukraine on Monday, instead of strong U.S. leadership support for our ally, we are confronted with the Trump administration's cruel 90-day freeze on foreign aid, including humanitarian demining programs.

The continued war and pause in aid to Ukraine will have dire consequences on the people and the land ‒ especially southern and eastern Ukraine. These regions have the most fertile black soils and have become the epicenter of Russia’s territorial ambitions. What were once vibrant agricultural landscapes are now war zones, threatening not only precious lives but also Ukraine’s economic future.

Constant shellings, missile attacks and human-made fires have caused widespread and severe damage to farmlands, which is fundamental to the country’s food security and prior to the war made up to 12% of Ukraine's gross domestic product.

This “black gold” enables Ukrainians to supply a significant share of the world's food needs as well as its own population. Without vital demining efforts, these lands will be held hostage by explosive remnants of war.

Russia attacks Ukraine's ability to feed 400 million people worldwide

The ecocide occurring in Ukraine is sadly not an isolated incident. There’s contaminated soils from World War I near Ypres in Belgium, "red zone" in France, devastated areas in Iran, Laos, Syria, Vietnam and other postwar countries.

With a quarter of the world’s black soil, Ukraine plays a key role in the global food system, producing and exporting critical agricultural products such as grain, sunflower oil, rapeseed, corn and barley. Approximately 400 million people worldwide rely on Ukrainian food exports.

Before Russia invaded, Ukraine ranked among the top global grain exporters, exporting 60% of its agricultural output globally to China, Indonesia and the European Union to name a few.

The degradation of Ukraine’s farming infrastructure is not just a regional crisis ‒ it’s a global one.

Ukraine is now the most heavily mined country

The long-term consequences of violent bombing campaigns have been extensively documented in past wars.

For example, in Cambodia, a country also blessed with rich soil, the effects of U.S. bombing more than five decades ago are still felt today. Farms in bombed areas are less productive compared with similar regions that weren’t bombed. This leads to smaller harvests, reducing the amount of rice available for sale by half and cutting incomes.

Russia has launched 15,000 drones, more than 19,000 missiles and tens of millions of artillery shells in Ukraine, many of which have embedded themselves in the soil. This ongoing military aggression has resulted in vast areas being abandoned, occupied or heavily mined, severely disrupting agricultural production.

As a result, Ukraine's agricultural output has dropped significantly, with yields of most crops and legumes plummeting by 30%.

With up to five mines per square meter in some areas, Ukraine is now sadly the most heavily mined country, and the cost to clean up these war trash is expected to exceed $30 billion.

The Ukrainian government has an ambitious goal of returning 80% of unsafe territories to productive use by 2033. Demining territories in Ukraine is a crucial step, but we should remember that improper demining can make soil dangerous and, in some cases, unsuitable for agriculture due to the increased concentrations of lead, strontium, cadmium, nickel and other toxic elements.

Sustaining U.S. financial investment for demining efforts in Ukraine is crucial in building global capacity for research, mapping and monitoring environmental risks on agricultural lands. These efforts are essential for product safety, sustainable agriculture and consumer health.

Post-demining soil research represents a long-term investment in Ukraine’s agricultural future, restoring soil fertility and securing sustainable farming practices for generations to come. This benefits not only Ukraine but also the United States, as the world’s second-largest trading nation, and the global community at large by fostering food security and promoting economic stability worldwide.