According to a Kremlin summary of conversations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is prepared to enable the unimpeded export of grain from Ukrainian ports in conjunction with Turkey.

Russia and Ukraine contribute 29 percent of global wheat exports, primarily via the Black Sea, and 80 percent of global sunflower oil exports, and Ukraine is also a significant exporter of grain.

According to a Kremlin summary, Putin attributed global food shortages to "short-sighted" Western policies during a chat with Erdogan on Monday, adding that Russia is prepared to sell significant quantities of fertilizers and food if sanctions against Moscow are relaxed the conversation.

"During the discussion of the situation in Ukraine, emphasis was placed on ensuring safe navigation in the Black and Azov seas and eliminating the mine threat in their waters," the Kremlin said.

Vladimir Putin expressed Russia's willingness to assist the unimpeded flow of commodities by the sea in consultation with Turkish partners. This also pertains to grain exports from Ukrainian ports."

It was unclear at first which Ukrainian ports Putin was referring to. Chornomorsk, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, and Yuzhny are the principal grain export ports of Ukraine.

Erdogan warned Putin that peace must be achieved immediately. If an agreement is reached, Turkey is prepared to participate in an "observation mechanism" between Moscow, Kyiv, and the United Nations.

The invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24 has shook the grain market, with Chicago wheat futures reaching a record high in March due to supply fears.

This year, Moscow anticipates a record harvest, with exports leaving Russia's accessible Black Sea ports while Ukraine's remain blocked by the Russian navy.

Dozens of container ships are detained in Ukrainian ports, preventing the export of wheat, sunflower oil, other food products, and agricultural fertilizer.

The passage of the Black Sea has also been impeded by mines set by Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Export race

Ukraine is attempting to export its large grain reserves via road, river, and train to avert a global food crisis but has no chance of achieving its goals until Russia lifts the blockade of its Black Sea ports, a Ukrainian agriculture ministry official told Reuters last week.

Before Russia invaded Ukraine, the country exported up to six million tonnes of wheat, barley, and maize each month. Still, exports plummeted to 300,000 tonnes in March and 1.1 million tonnes in April.

Russia and Ukraine contribute 29 percent of global wheat exports, primarily via the Black Sea, and 80 percent of global sunflower oil exports.

Ukraine is also a key exporter of grain, barley, and rapeseed oil. In contrast, Russia and Belarus – which supported Moscow in the war and is also subject to sanctions – contribute to more than 40 percent of global exports of the crop nutrient potash.

Russia has seized some of Ukraine's most important seaports, and its navy controls critical trade routes in the Black Sea, where widespread mining has rendered commercial shipping hazardous.

Sanctions have also made it difficult for Russian exporters to access ships that transport goods to global markets.

Putin has stated that Russia will expand wheat exports in the upcoming July-June season due to a projected record harvest of 87 million tonnes.