ANKARA, June 8. /TASS/. Turkey believes opening a shipping corridor for grain exports from Ukraine is a realistic plan, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a news conference on Wednesday after talks with his Russian counterpart.

"We are talking about a mechanism that can be established by the UN, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey," he said. "We believe this is a realistic plan. We need to discuss measures to ensure the safety of vessels," passing through the corridor.

Cavusoglu said Russia’s call for relief from sanctions limiting its agricultural exports was justified. "It is wrong to shun discussions of this issue, claiming that Russian grain and fertilizer exports are not subject to sanctions," Cavusoglu said. "If the world does need farm products from Ukraine and Russia, we must together open the way for their exports. We need an arrangement that would heed all sides’ interests," the minister said.

The food crisis broke out long before the start of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier. The crisis was caused by the COVID pandemic, while the current situation exacerbated the problem. A key reason behind latest food supply disruptions are Western sanctions, according to Lavrov.