For weeks Ukraine has been calling for unblocking ports and allowing cereal experts. A few days ago, the head of the local foreign ministry, Dmytro Kuleba, said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that the best way to achieve this was international operations in the Black Sea with the participation of ships. He added, however, it was possible “only with a formal Russian commitment not to use this corridor for attacks.” “You have to start with Odessa. In order to avoid catastrophic consequences, the lock must be lifted within two weeks,” he said.

In late May, Ukrainian Deputy Agriculture Minister Taras Wysocki reported that Russia had exported nearly 500,000 illegally. tons of wheat from the occupied territories.

Putin: Moscow does not prevent grain exports from Ukraine

In an interview with the state-owned Rossiya-1 channel, Vladimir Putin stated that “Moscow does not interfere with grain exports from Ukraine” and argued that Ukraine could export grain via several routes, so Russia could not be blamed for global food. crises that have started before. – We see attempts to shift responsibility to Russia (…). This, as our people say, is an attempt to move the problem from a sore head to a healthy head, he says.

Putin also downplayed Ukraine’s role in supplying grain to world markets. – Around 800 million tons of wheat are produced annually in the world. Now we are told that Ukraine is ready to export 20 million tons. Compared to what is produced in the world, it is 2.5 percent. And if we start with the fact that wheat is only 20 percent. of the world’s total food supply, which means this 20 million tonnes of Ukrainian wheat is 0.5 percent, which means nothing, he said.

Offers for Ukrainians

According to Putin, Ukraine can export wheat, including through the port of Odessa. – We will ensure the safe approach to these ports, the entry of foreign ships and their movement in the Seas of Azov and Black Sea in all directions. We will not use this situation to launch any attack from the sea, the Russian leader said, demanding that Ukraine “mine ports” and “lift sunken ships”. But the Russian leader also indicated other export routes: through Romania, Hungary and Poland, and also through Belarus. He called the latter option “the easiest and cheapest way”. – But for this you have to lift sanctions from Belarus – he added.

Ukraine is responsible for 12 percent. world wheat production, 15 percent of corn production and half of global sunflower oil production.

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