VATICAN CITY — Destroying grain is a “grave offense to God,” Pope Francis said, appealing to authorities in Russia as “my brothers” and urging them to resume cooperating with a United Nations’ initiative to guarantee the safe transport of grain out of Ukraine.

“Let us not cease to pray for beleaguered Ukraine, where the war is destroying everything, even grain,” he said after praying the Angelus with people gathered July 30 in St. Peter’s Square.

“This is a grave offense to God, because grain is His gift to feed humanity; and the cry of millions of brothers and sisters who suffer hunger rises to heaven,” he said.

“I appeal to my brothers, the authorities of the Russian Federation, that the Black Sea Initiative may be restored and grain may be transported safely,” he said.

The pope was referring to a U.N. initiative that started in August 2022, allowing millions of tons of grain and other crops harvested in Ukraine to be exported across the Black Sea.

However, Russian government authorities announced July 17 it would no longer take part in the agreement, effectively blockading Ukraine’s Black Sea ports and forcing more shipments to take an already congested route along the Danube River.

Since then, Ukraine’s ports on the Danube and grain storage facilities have been targeted by drone and missile strikes; Ukrainian authorities said 60,000 tons of agricultural products were destroyed at a site in Odesa, estimated to have been able to feed 270,000 people for a year. Ukraine was ranked fifth among the largest exporters of wheat worldwide for 2022-2023, according to Statista, and it is also a major world supplier of sunflower oil, barley and corn.

After his Angelus prayer, Pope Francis made several appeals and calls for prayers, including for the upcoming Aug. 4 anniversary of a massive explosion in the port of Beirut in 2020. A fire caused thousands of tons of improperly stored ammonium nitrate to detonate, killing more than 210 people and wreaking widespread damage to homes, roads and infrastructure.