Russia offers safe passage for Ukraine grain, not responsible for corridors

Russia can “provide safe passage” for Ukraine grain shipments from the country's Black Sea ports, but is not responsible for establishing the corridors, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters on Wednesday.

“We are not responsible for establishing safe corridors. We said we could provide safe passage if these corridors are established. Establish them. It's obvious it's either demine the territory, which was mined by the Ukrainians, or to ensure that the passage goes around those mines,” Nebenzia said.

Seperately on Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu detailed a UN plan to create a sea corridor from Ukraine for grain exports, saying safe routes could be formed without needing to clear the mines around Ukrainian ports.

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His comments appeared to mark a shift from an earlier proposal to de-mine Ukraine’s ports, a move that Kyiv fears would leave it far more vulnerable to Russian attacks from the Black Sea.

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