UN suggests easing anti-Russian sanctions in exchange for unblocking Ukraine grain

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is pursuing a high-stakes deal with Russia, Turkiye and other nations to open up Ukrainian food exports to world markets and stave off a potential global food shortage, according to diplomats familiar with the effort.

Report informs, citing The Wall Street Journal, that Mr. Guterres has asked Moscow to permit some Ukrainian grain shipments in exchange for moves to ease Russian and Belarusian exports of potash fertilizer.

Russia doesn’t currently appear to be engaged in earnest negotiations toward a deal, the diplomats said. Turkiye, a major Black Sea power, has expressed willingness to participate in a deal, including by removing mines from the sea and managing shipping traffic, they said.

The Russian and Ukrainian missions to the UN declined to comment.

The UN Security Council appears unlikely to pass a binding resolution aimed at freeing up Ukrainian grain exports, current and former officials say.

Still, without a UN resolution or near-term deal, countries that depend on Ukrainian wheat are expected to keep putting pressure on Moscow to allow at least limited shipments of grain, perhaps escorted by ships under the flag of an international organization or a country perceived as neutral or friendly to Moscow.