A top Russian diplomat on Wednesday demanded an end to sanctions against Moscow to avert a global food crisis due to the disruption of Ukrainian grain exports since the start of the Russian offensive.

“The resolution of the food problem requires a comprehensive point of view, which implies above all the end of sanctions against Russian exports and financial transactions,” Andrei Rudenko, deputy foreign minister, was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

He also demanded that “Kyiv demine” the Black Sea ports so that ships can export grain. The diplomat assured us that Russia was willing to “guarantee a humanitarian corridor” for the ships.

Shortly after, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, denounced as “blackmail” the Russian demand for the lifting of sanctions to avoid a food crisis.

“It’s blatant blackmail. We cannot find a better example of blackmail in international relations,” he stated.

Ukraine has very fertile land and before the war was the world’s fourth-largest exporter of corn and the third largest of wheat.

The conflict has disrupted trade and cultivation, and Russia is accused by Ukraine and Western countries of impeding grain exports across the Black Sea, raising the risk of a serious global food crisis. (I)