UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addressing the UN Security Council. File photo.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, urged nations on Thursday, September 22, to eliminate all obstacles stopping Russia’s exports, especially fertilizers. Guterres also welcomed the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine.
During his speech at the UN Security Council, Guterres emphasized the need to bring these products to farmers in order to avoid a serious food crisis.
“It is essential that all states remove every remaining obstacle to the export of Russian fertilizers immediately. We need to get them to farmers at a reasonable cost, and on to fields as soon as possible,” said the Secretary-General, quoted by Sputnik News.
West Killed Peace Proposal to End Ukraine War, Russia Supported Negotiated Settlement
In mid-July, Russia expressed its willingness to supply developing countries with 300,000 tons of fertilizers, stored in seaports of the European Union, free of charge.
However, the coercive measures imposed by the United States and the European Union have stopped this action.
In response, Guterres emphasized the importance of shipments continuing and increasing so that commodity markets could continue to stabilize.
“If the fertilizer market is not stabilized, next year could bring a food supply crisis. Simply put, the world may run out of food,” he warned.
Last July, in Turkey, an agreement was signed for the export of Ukrainian grains to prevent the looming food crisis resulting from the sanctions and conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The agreement was signed by Ukraine and Russia, with the mediation of Turkey and the UN.
As part of the agreements, the UN promised to join efforts to curb obstacles stopping the export of Russian products, which could help control the crisis.
Prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine
This Thursday, Russia and Ukraine carried out a new prisoner exchange.
As reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense, quoted by Sputnik News, all the released people have been transferred to Russia on a military transport plane and are now in Russian Defense health centers.
“As a result of a complex exchange negotiation process, last night, 55 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces, and the Donetsk and Lugansk republics who faced mortal danger were returned from the territory of Ukraine,” confirmed Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman Igor Konashenkov.
Likewise, Russia handed over a total of 215 people to Ukraine, “some of which are representatives of nationalist battalions.”
Among the people who were exchanged is the Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk.
The UN Secretary-General expresses hope that a total exchange of prisoners will be achieved. “Yesterday’s news that more than 250 prisoners of war were exchanged between Ukraine and the Russian Federation was a welcome development. I commend the efforts of both parties and hope they will build on this with further exchanges aiming at an ‘all-for-all’ formula,” Guterres said, quoted by the Russian News Agency TASS.
The UN chief also thanked the Turkish government “for its role in securing this agreement.”
(Últimas Noticias) by Ariadne Eljuri
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/KZ/KW
