Putin: No problem in exporting grain from Ukraine

• 

Russian President Vladimir Putin described on Friday statements claiming that Moscow "does not allow" Ukrainian grain to be exported as "a bluff".

In a televised interview for the Rossiya 24 channel, Putin confirmed that there was "no problem" to export grain from Ukraine.

"There is no problem to export grain from Ukraine," he said, adding that it could be done via Ukrainian ports, via others under Russian control, or even via central Europe.

The Russian leader mentioned the possibility of exporting via the Ukrainian ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov, which gives access to the Black Sea.

Belarus simplest, easiest, cheapest option to export wheat

He also pointed out that ports under Kiev's control, in particular, Odessa, could be used, but he called for the waters around the Ukrainian-held ports to be "cleared" of mines by Ukraine. Russia would in exchange allow the ships safe passage, Putin said.

Other transport options include the Danube River via Romania, Hungary, or Poland, he added.

"But the simplest, the easiest, the cheapest would be exports via Belarus, from there one can go to Baltic ports, then to the Baltic Sea and then anywhere in the world," the Russian President explained, saying that any export via Belarus would be conditional on the "lifting of sanctions" by the West against Minsk.       

Putin: Ukrainian wheat exports "virtually nothing"

However, Putin considered that the amount of Ukrainian wheat that Kiev could potentially export is "virtually nothing".

The Russian President indicated that "The world produces about 800 million tonnes of grain and wheat a year. Now we are told that Ukraine is ready to export 20 million tonnes. Twenty million tonnes compared to what is produced in the world, 800 million tonnes, that's 2.5%."

He explained that "If we proceed from the fact that wheat makes up only 20% of the total food supply in the world... then this means that these 20 million tonnes of Ukrainian wheat are 0.5%, virtually nothing."

Russia ready to increase wheat exports to 50 million tonnes

Putin expressed Russia's readiness to increase wheat exports to 50 million tonnes next year.

"In the current agricultural year, 2021—2022, we will export 37 million tonnes, and in 2022-2023, I think, we will raise this export to 50 million tonnes," he pointed out during the interview.

Global fertilizers situation will worsen due to US, UK sanctions

He also highlighted that the situation with global fertilizers will worsen due to anti-Russian sanctions, noting that food prices will only rise.

According to Putin, "The situation [with fertilizers] will worsen, because the Americans, the Britons imposed sanctions on our fertilizers, then realizing what was happening, the Americans lifted the sanctions, but the Europeans did not."

The Russian President considered that "this is an absolutely short-sighted, erroneous, simply stupid policy that leads to a dead end."