Putin willing to discuss resuming Ukrainian grain shipments: Kremlin

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday told the leaders of France and Germany that Moscow was willing to discuss ways to make it possible for Ukraine to resume shipments of grain from Black Sea ports, according to a Kremlin statement.

Putin held a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and confirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue peace talks with Kyiv.

“Russia is ready to help find options for unhampered exports of grain, including exports of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports,” the Kremlin said as quoted by TASS news agency.

“Increasing supplies of Russian fertilizers and agricultural products will also help reduce tension on the global food market, which, of course, would require removing the relevant restrictions,” the statement added.

Russian President also said that problems with food supplies were caused by anti-Russian sanctions and other mistakes of the West, the news agency reported.

“Based on specific data, Vladimir Putin explained the real reasons for the difficulties with food supplies, which were the result of the misguided economic and financial policies of Western countries, as well as the anti-Russian sanctions they imposed,” the statement said.

“Special attention was given to the state of affairs on the negotiating track, which is frozen because of Kyiv. Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia is open to resuming the dialogue,” it added.

Putin stressed the danger of pumping Ukraine with Western weapons, the Kremlin quoted by TASS said.

“The Russian President also highlighted the issue of dangerous ongoing pumping of Ukraine with Western weapons, warning of the risks of further destabilization of the situation and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis,” the statement said.