MOSCOW, June 9. /TASS/. Contacts between Russia and the UN on the export of Ukrainian grain continue and Moscow has presented its concrete considerations on resolving this issue, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva Gennady Gatilov said on Russian TV Thursday.
"As you know, the UN seeks to join the search for solutions to this problem," the diplomat said. "The UN appointed coordinators who take part in contacts with the sides; in Geneva, it is [Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Rebeca] Grynspan, and there is also UN Deputy Secretary General [Martin] Griffiths. Ms. Grynspan visited Moscow, she was presented with our idea of resolving this problem. This was recently confirmed by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke about it just yesterday."
Moscow is in no way obstructing the export of grain from Ukraine, Gatilov underscored.
"UN representatives were given our concrete ideas on how this could be done, and in what volumes Russia is ready to export both grain and fertilizers, so all questions here should be addressed to the Ukrainian side," the envoy maintained.
According to Gatilov, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials tie the export of grain to numerous other issues, including the demining of ports.
"But this is Ukraine’s problem now, because it was Ukraine who mined the ports. It is up them to demine them, if they want to ensure the export of grain," the diplomat added.
According to Gatilov, Moscow has been providing a constructive position in its contacts with the UN, and underscored its readiness to begin resolving the grain export issue immediately.
Previously, Putin emphasized that Moscow is guaranteeing the free passage of ships with Ukrainian grain, if Kiev demines its ports. Moscow can also ensure the export of grain through ports under Russian control, such as Berdyansk and Mariupol. Putin also floated an option to export grain by railroad through Belarus, but that would require the removal of Western sanctions. The Russian leader also pointed out that the problems on the global food market started back in February 2020. He branded the allegations that Russia is blocking grain in Ukrainian ports as nothing but a bluff.