SAMARKAND, September 16. /TASS/. The Kremlin considers Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s idea to liberate Ukrainian servicemen in exchange for relaunch of the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline to be inappropriate.

"Are people and ammonia the same?!" Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday, answering a question if the Kremlin is ready to consider such option.

Earlier, Zelensky said in his interview for Reuters that he opposes the transit of ammonia from Russia through Ukraine, and is only ready to support it in exchange for Ukrainian POWs. According to Zelensky, he proposed this option to the UN.

On Tuesday, The Financial Times reported citing its sources that the EU employees had several meetings with representatives of Moscow and Kiev on restoration of ammonia supplies via the Togliatti-Odessa pipeline. According to the report, the consultations intensified in the last few weeks. Speaking in an interview for Anadolu, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that the UN, together with the EU and the US, "do everything possible to ensure that sanctions do not obstruct supplies of food and fertilizer" from Russia to the international market. He confirmed that the UN holds negotiations on restoration of ammonia supplies via the Togliatti-Odessa pipeline.

On February 24, Togliattiazot ammonia producer suspended supplies of its produce over the situation in Ukraine.