Russia is ready for a meeting with the UN, Turkey and Ukraine on grain/Channel 24 collage
Russia is ready to hold a quadripartite meeting in Istanbul on the export of Ukrainian grain. At the same time, the aggressor country cynically denied that it was its actions that should lead to a food crisis.
This position was voiced by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to Russian media.
Lavrov said that Russia is ready for additional meetings in Istanbul, but this, they say, will not work.As for additional meetings in Istanbul, we are ready for such meetings. We appreciate the UN's interest in somehow getting involved, in making its presence known. But, frankly, it adds nothing but what symbolism,” Lavrov said.
At the same time, he cynically added that the situation with Ukrainian grain has nothing to do with the food crisis, and the EU draws with her “catastrophe on a global scale.” In this context, Lavrov “forgot” to mention that it was the Russian military who temporarily occupied part of the territory of Ukraine, replaced the Black Sea, endangering the heads of millions of people around the world.
The world is in danger of starvation if Russia does not lift the blockade of ports
Since the end of February, Russia has seized territories where 400,000 to 500,000 tons of grain are located. Some Ukrainian farms were hit by airstrikes and artillery fire. Due to the mining of the Black Sea and the blocking of ports, our country cannot export grain abroad.
Now Ukraine, together with Western allies, is looking for ways to export about 20 million tons of grain and make room for the harvest. The crisis threatens tens of millions of people in the Middle East and Africa who depend on grain from Ukraine.
Trucks face long delays at the border with Poland and Romania, and transporting grain by rail is difficult as trains to the EU and Ukraine ply on different routes. Meanwhile, the EU has simplified its procedures, and Ukraine is offering additional guarantees to European barges and trucks after most Western insurers refused because of the risk.
Russia's position remains unchanged
The President of Russia is already in in his usual manner blamed the food crisis on sanctions against Russian exports and said that Moscow would lift the blockade only if restrictions were lifted.
Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov warned that Russia's actions risked creating famine “on a global scale” and Russians behave like “pirates” who do not care about the fate of people.
President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Ukraine is actively negotiating grain exports, but representatives of Kyiv were not invited to the talks in Turkey.
