Kyiv has been unable to export grain provides on account of Russia’s invasion, which has despatched world meals costs hovering.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has advised the leaders of France and Germany that Moscow was “prepared” to search for methods to ship grain caught in Ukrainian ports however demanded the West first raise sanctions amid an escalating world meals disaster.
In a prolonged cellphone name with French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday, Putin stated the difficulties in supplying grain to world markets have been the results of “faulty financial and monetary insurance policies of Western international locations”.
“Russia is able to assist discover choices for the unhindered export of grain, together with the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports,” Putin advised Macron and Scholz, the Kremlin stated.
“A rise within the provide of Russian fertilisers and agricultural merchandise will even assist scale back tensions on the worldwide meals market, which, after all, would require the elimination of the related sanctions.”
Russia’s offensive in Ukraine and Western sanctions have disrupted provides of fertiliser, wheat and different commodities from the 2 international locations, fuelling considerations concerning the threat of starvation world wide.
Russia and Ukraine produce 30 % of the worldwide wheat provide.
A variety of points
Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari reporting from Moscow stated that Putin advised Sholz and Macron that “there are a selection of points with the ships carrying Ukrainian wheat caught within the Black Sea”. The Russians are saying mines have been positioned alongside the routes by the Ukrainian military.
“Putin stated that Russia is prepared to permit the passage of these ships, roughly round 300 of them, from the primary port in Odesa in Ukraine. That’s one thing up for dialogue, however after all, that’s one thing that needs to be completed by way of the Russian army,” Jabbari stated.
Macron and Scholz for his or her half urged Russia to raise the blockade of the Ukrainian port of Odesa to permit the export of grain, the French presidency stated.
Each leaders “have taken be aware of the promise of the Russian president to grant ships entry to the port for the export of grain with out it being exploited militarily by Russia whether it is first cleared of mines,” the French presidency added.
Russia despatched tens of hundreds of troops into Ukraine on February 24, which prompted the West to impose sanctions in opposition to Moscow.
As Ukraine’s Western backers have been contemplating whether or not to ship extra arms provides to Kyiv, Putin additionally advised Macron and Scholz the persevering with arms provides have been “harmful”, warning “of the dangers of additional destabilisation of the state of affairs and aggravation of the humanitarian disaster,” the Kremlin stated.
The French and German readouts of the cellphone talks made no point out of the sanctions in opposition to Russia or the Western arms provides to Ukraine.
The 2 Western leaders additionally requested Putin to carry “direct severe negotiations” along with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the German chancellor’s workplace stated.
The 2 EU leaders “insisted on a direct ceasefire and a withdrawal of Russian troops,” the chancellor’s workplace stated.
Putin stated Moscow was open to resuming dialogue with Kyiv, the Kremlin stated with out mentioning the potential for direct talks between Putin and Zelensky.
Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations have been held each in-person and through video-link for the reason that Russian army offensive however have not too long ago floor to a halt.
