Putin: Russia is ready to export grain from Ukraine without restrictions
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday confirmed his country's readiness to help export grain "without restrictions" from Ukraine, warning at the same time of a greater "destabilization" of the situation if Western arms deliveries to Kiev continued.
A Kremlin statement said that Putin made these statements during a telephone conversation Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
"Russia is ready to help find solutions for the unrestricted export of grain, including Ukrainian grain, coming from the ports on the Black Sea," Putin said, according to the statement issued at the end of the call, amid fears of a serious food crisis due to the Russian attack in Ukraine.
He explained that the difficulties related to food supplies were caused by "a wrong economic and financial policy on the part of Western countries, in addition to sanctions against Russia."
Putin stressed that increasing the supply of Russian fertilizers and agricultural products could reduce tension in the global agricultural market, "which certainly calls for lifting the relevant sanctions" on Moscow.
During the phone call, Putin also focused "on the dangerous nature of continuing to flood Ukraine with Western weapons, warning of the dangers of further destabilizing the situation and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis," according to the Kremlin.
Finally, the Russian president stressed that Russia remains "open to resuming dialogue" with Kyiv to settle the issue of the armed conflict, according to the same source.
Peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have been suspended since March.
Ukraine is a major exporter of cereals, especially wheat and corn, but the delivery of its production is disrupted due to the battles.
In turn, Russia cannot sell its production due to Western sanctions affecting its financial and logistical sectors.
The two countries produce a third of the wheat the world needs.
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