DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) – Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Wednesday that Russia was trying to “blackmail” the international community by raising the possibility of an offer to unblock Black Sea ports in return for a relaxation of sanctions.
The Interfax news agency earlier cited Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko as saying Moscow is ready to provide a humanitarian corridor for vessels carrying food to leave Ukraine, in return for the lifting of some sanctions.
Ukraine’s Black Sea ports have been blocked since Russia sent thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 and more than 20 million tonnes of grain are stuck in silos in the country.
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Editing by Alexander Smith)
