Putin in Nehammer: Moscow is not responsible for the food crisis

LAST UPDATE: 18:52

The accusations against Russia, which the West blames for the global grain supply problem due to its attack on Ukraine, are “baseless”, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a telephone conversation with Austrian Chancellor Carl Nehamer.

According to a Kremlin statement, Putin “stressed that efforts to hold Russia accountable for the difficulties in delivering agricultural products to international markets are unfounded.” The Russian president reiterated that the cause of the food crisis is “US and European sanctions on Russia.”

On Tuesday, Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Russia was ready to help overcome the food crisis by exporting cereals and fertilizers, provided the West lifted sanctions that were “politically motivated.”

Speaking to Nehamer, Putin also called on the Ukrainians to “demine the ports as soon as possible to allow the stranded ships to pass,” according to a Kremlin statement.

According to the director of the Russian National Defense Management Center, Mikhail Mizinchev, Russian forces open two sea lanes daily, from 8.00 to 19.00 to allow ships to leave the ports of Mariupol (in the Azov) and Hersho , Mykolaif, Tsornomorsk, Otsakif and Odessa (on the Black Sea).

For his part, the Austrian chancellor said Putin had hinted that he was ready to allow the export of Ukrainian agricultural products from the ports, in coordination with the UN.

Carl Nehammer also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured him that Moscow would fulfill its obligations regarding gas supplies.

“As for the prisoners of war, President Putin has said he is ready to intensify negotiations with the Ukrainians in order to make progress,” he said, adding that “it is necessary for the Red Cross to have access to prisoners of war.”