According to the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, the West should decide what is more important to it, PR on the topic of food supplies from Ukraine or solving this problem.
The Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that for the passage of grain ships from Ukrainian ports, it is necessary to first clear the territorial waters that Kiev mined. If the problem is solved, the ships of the Russian Navy will ensure the unhindered passage of these vessels into the open sea and their exit from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
At the same time, Lavrov stressed that Ukrainian ships locked in ports have been guaranteed free passage for more than a month. To this end, all measures have been taken by the Russian side, the minister assured. Lavrov stressed that the initiatives on the topic of food security should be decided taking into account the fact that everything that depends on it has long been guaranteed from the Russian side.
“But Western countries that have created a lot of artificial problems by closing their ports to Russian ships, with the suppression of logistics and financial chains,” the Russian Foreign Minister added, “should, of course, seriously think about what is more important for them, to do PR on the problem of food security or to solve this problem with concrete steps. It’s up to them.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmitry Kuleba, said earlier that unilateral Russian guarantees for the restoration of grain supplies are not enough. Kiev wants guarantees from the UN and third countries.
Currently, about 4.5 million tonnes of grain are blocked in the ports of Odessa and Nikolaev. This is a one and a half month volume of export. Up to 1 million tonnes of grain continues to be exported from Ukraine by land and through small ports every month.
It is reminded that Russia has opened a humanitarian corridor three nautical miles wide and 80 miles long in the Black Sea for grain transportation.
In 2021, Russia and Ukraine jointly supplied 75 per cent of sunflower oil, 28 per cent of wheat, 29 per cent of barley and 15 per cent of corn to the world market. The possibilities of Ukrainian ports for grain exports are limited, but Russia continues to build up its fleet in order to provide its partners with food.
As for wheat, according to The Times, Russia was able to take control of the world market in this industry. Wheat exports from Ukraine fell by 32 per cent, while Russian exports rose by 18 per cent.
Ru-Main, 31.05.2022
Source: Vesti
