Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Vasily Nebenzya. File photoUN, June 2 Russia is ready to let ships with Ukrainian grain through, said the country's permanent representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzia.
"As for the Ukrainians, let them clear their ports first. We are ready to ensure safe passage, but first they must clear mines — these are their mines, not ours,» he also told reporters.
Commenting on reports of an allegedly upcoming meeting between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN on the topic of grain export on the Black Sea, Nebenzya noted that he did not know how true they were, and drew attention to the numerous speculations in the press on this issue. He also mentioned the European land-based «corridors of solidarity», which, he said, do not work effectively. Nebenzya added that Kyiv not only laid mines, but also sank ships. As the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier, Moscow does not interfere with Ukraine's grain exports, logistical problems arose through the fault of Kyiv, its troops mined their seaports. The agency added that «talks about Russia's allegedly blocking the export of Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea ports and the resulting deficit in the grain market are nothing more than speculation.» A former employee of the Odessa sea harbor told RIA Novosti that Ukraine is exporting wheat reserves from storage facilities in the port of Odessa by alternative routes under pressure from the European Union, despite the threat of a grain shortage in the country itself.
Russia boosts grain supplies to starve the world