Putin: 'We will guarantee the safe passage' of grain 'with no problems'

euronews.com:

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he is ready to support the smooth export of Ukrainian grain via the country's Black Sea ports.

"You are quite welcome to export [wheat] via sea ports under Ukrainian control, first of all via the Black Sea ports: Odesa and the nearby ports," said Putin at a meeting with the African Union.  

His remarks come amidst a global food crisis which is being aggravated by Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. 

Moscow has been accused of fuelling food price rises across the world by preventing Ukraine from exporting cereals and fertilisers. However, the Russian president denies his country is blockading Ukraine. 

African Union head Macky Sall told Putin that African countries have become the innocent victims of the war in Ukraine.

The Senegalese president, who met with Putin in the Russian city of Sochi on behalf of the 55-member body representing the African continent, said Russia should help ease their suffering. 

Africa relies on Russia and Ukraine for more than 40 per cent of its wheat, a major food staple across the continent. 

The war has exacerbated already existing shortages in Africa caused by bad harvests and insecurity.

Already the ensuing price rises have worsened food insecurity, with the UN's crisis coordinator Amin Awad warning that "failure to open those ports will result in famine."

He added that a grain shortage in Africa could affect 1.4 billion people and trigger mass migration.

After their talks, Sall told journalists "I found Vladimir Putin committed and aware that the crisis and sanctions create serious problems for weak economies, such as African economies.

Sall continued that he was leaving Russia feeling "very reassured and very happy with our exchanges."

The Russian