Kiev names condition for resuming grain exports
“No grain will go anywhere” unless Ukraine’s security is ensured, a senior official has said
Ukraine will resume grain exports only when its own security is ensured, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexey Danilov said on Tuesday as the Russian military offensive continues in his country.
Speaking on national TV, Danilov recalled a statement by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs “which clearly said that the first issue is security, the second issue is security, the third issue is security.”
“If this issue is not resolved, and the security of our country is not ensured, no grain will go anywhere. Because for us the issue of security is the number one priority,” Danilov stated, without specifying what exactly he meant by the term “security.”
At the same time, he claimed that “this issue is under control” and made clear that the Ukrainian authorities remember their obligations.
“Nobody wants the world to be hungry,” he stressed.
Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of impeding grain exports. Kiev and its Western supporters claim that, by blocking Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, Russia is aggravating the global food crisis. Moscow has rejected such claims, saying it is ready to ensure safe passage for grain-carrying vessels and that the disruption stems from extensive mining of the shoreline by the Ukrainian military.
https://www.rt.com/russia/556826-ukraine-russia-grain-obstacles/