MOSCOW READY TO SET UP CORRIDOR FOR SHIPS CARRYING FOOD TO LEAVE UKRAINE: OFFICIAL

Wed 25 May 2022:

Russia is ready to provide a humanitarian corridor for vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine in return for the lifting of some sanctions, the country’s Interfax news agency has cited deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko as saying.

Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have been blocked since Moscow launched its offensive and more than 20 million tonnes of grain are stuck in silos in the country.

Russia and Ukraine account for nearly a third of global wheat supplies and the lack of significant grain exports from Ukraine’s ports is contributing to a growing global food crisis. Ukraine is also a major exporter of corn and sunflower oil.

Western powers have been discussing the idea of setting up “safe corridors” for grain exports from Ukraine’s ports, adding that any such corridor would need Russian consent.

Staple product prices due to rise as Russia continues blocking Ukraine ports: UK

The United Kingdom’s defence ministry has echoed global concerns about the risk of price rises among staple products due to the blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.

“There has been no significant shipping activity in or out of Odesa since the start of the war,” the ministry said in its latest intelligence briefing.

“Fighting has already placed indirect pressure on global grain prices. While the threat of Russia’s naval blockade continues to deter access by commercial shipping to Ukrainian ports, the resulting supply shortfalls will further increase the price of many staple products,” the ministry added.

The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing.

The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 25 May 2022

Find out more about the UK government’s response: https://t.co/nYJGqHGoUQ pic.twitter.com/rq82WgaKji

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 25, 2022