The Kremlin is urging the Ukrainian government to remove approaches to the port of Odessa to allow grain exports currently halted, while simultaneously announcing that two other ports under Russian control will be re-available for this purpose. .
These statements were made against the background of an expected food crisis in the world, due to the inability of Ukraine, hit by the naval blockade, to export its vital cereal production. The passion also caused the price of some cereals to jump, further compromising the supply of some countries.
Mine clearance around the port of Odessa will allow ships, once verified by our military, to enter the port, load grain and, with our help, reach international waters.argued Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
In a rare televised statement, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said grain exports could resume to the Russian-controlled ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol, located respectively in the regions of Zaporizhia and Donetsk, on the Sea of Azov, in the east of the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed last week that there was none there is no problem in exporting grain from Ukraine discusses methods of export from Ukrainian ports, others under Russian control or through Central and Eastern Europe.
kyiv, which mined strategies in the port of Odessa to protect itself from a Russian attack, however rejected these solutions, setting aside the words of the Kremlin master according to which the Russian army will not take advantage of these demining operations. to launch an attack on the city.
In a message posted on Twitter on Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba disputed thatPutin cannot be trustedwhose the words are empty.
” Putin has said he will not use trade routes to invade Odessa. It was also Putin who told German Chancellor Scholz and French President Macron that he would not invade Ukraine, a few days before launching a massive invasion of our country. “
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out on Monday that 20 to 25 million tonnes of grain are currently blocked in Ukraine, a quantity that could triple in the fall. We need sea corridors and we are discussing this in Turkey and the United Kingdom as well as at the UN, he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also expected in Turkey on Tuesday to discuss the establishment of safe corridors for the transportation of Ukrainian cereals, although Moscow denies all responsibility for this crisis, which it associates only with sanctions on the West.
European Council President Charles Michel stressed in a tweet on Monday that the European Union (EU) does not there are no sanctions against Russia’s agricultural sectorand accused Moscow of using supplies as a stealth missiles against developing countries.
The head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, for his part accused Moscow of blackmail the elimination of international sanctions by blocking grain exports from Ukraine.
He also judges trustworthy information that Russia Fly tons of cereal, to sell them for his own profitincluding its naval blockade of Ukrainian ports, which restricts grain exports and raises fears of food crises, particularly in Africa.
According to New York TimesWashington warned 14 countries, mainly Africa, in mid -May that Russian cargo ships were delivering stolen Ukrainian grain. Mr. pointed out. Blinken this article in the American daily, without directly confirming the alert addressed to African countries.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Ankara accused Russia on Friday of steal and export Ukrainian cereals, specifically to Turkey.
Russia and Ukraine alone make up 30% of the world’s wheat exports. The war unleashed by the Kremlin on February 24 resulted in rising prices of cereals and oil, whose prices exceeded those reached in the Arab spring in 2011 and the eating disorders of 2008.
Radio Canada
Source: Radio-Canada
