In a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian head of state Vladimir Putin pledged to allow grain exports from Ukraine if Western sanctions against his country were relaxed. Russia is “ready” to find opportunities “for grain exports without obstacles,” Putin said in a phone call with Scholz and Macron on Saturday, according to the Kremlin.
But Western sanctions against Russia should also be lifted. Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said on Friday after a phone call with Putin that he had given “signals” that he was ready to allow seed and food exports from Ukraine through seaports.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the G7 countries are working hard to resolve grain exports from Ukraine to prevent a global food crisis. Johnson said this to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Saturday, Britain said.
Twelve percent of the world’s calories traded
Due to its fertile soil, Ukraine is one of the main wheat exporters in the world. In addition, there are large world market shares for barley, maize and sunflower oil. More than 30 million tons of maize and nearly 25 million tons of wheat were harvested in 2020 alone, according to UN data. Ukraine and Russia together produce 12 percent of the calories traded worldwide, according to a study.
Many of these are now in danger of being canceled due to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Because a lot of Ukrainian grain is shipped through the ports on the Black Sea. These ports, especially Odessa, are now blocked by Russian troops.
Crisis will affect the whole world
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has called for negotiations on a corridor and clearance for exports. According to former Ukrainian finance minister Natalie Jaresko, about 20 million tons of grain from the previous crop cannot be shipped at the moment. The Ukrainians have no more room in their silos. The new crop is in danger of rotting. But eventually the crisis will affect the whole world: food shortages will lead to unrest in many countries.
Putin also warned Scholz and Macron about the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine. That carries the risk of further destabilizing the situation and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, Putin said, according to a statement released by the Kremlin on Saturday. In the conversation, Scholz and Macron again called for an end to the war, as German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit announced.
According to the Kremlin, Putin emphasized Moscow’s willingness to resume negotiations for a solution to the conflict, which had been frozen “because of Kiev’s fault”.
Source: Krone

I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.