Russia's president seemingly conditioned a potential reopening of Ukraine's grain exports on a relaxation of Western sanctions imposed after Russia invaded Ukraine, while his French and German counterparts responded with the need for a Russian withdrawal and "serious" peace efforts from Moscow.
In a telephone call on May 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin told French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that "Russia is ready to help find options for the unhindered export of grain, including the export of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports," according to a Kremlin account of the conversation.
But he tied relaxing Russia's blockade of Ukraine's ports to the West removing biting sanctions it slapped on Moscow after its invasion.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meanwhile told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the United Kingdom and its G7 partners are working intensively to help Ukraine resume its grain exports.
"[Johnson] said that the U.K. would work with G7 partners to push for urgent progress" on grain exports, London's readout of the Johnson-Zelenskiy call said. "The leaders agreed next steps and the imperative for Russia to relax its blockade and allow safe shipping lanes."
SEE ALSO: War In Ukraine Causes Global Food ShortageBut the Kremlin signaled a contingency between international sanctions and any easing of Russia's embargo in Putin's call with Macron and Scholz.
"An increase in the supply of Russian fertilizers and agricultural products will also help reduce tensions on the global food market, which, of course, will require the removal of the relevant sanctions," the Kremlin said.
Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn, and sunflower oil, but Russian forces are currently blocking Ukraine's Black Sea ports, endangering world food supplies.
The international community has been calling on Russia, which is also a major wheat exporter, to unblock the ports and allow the export of Ukrainian grain.
Putin also warned Macron and Scholz against ramping up arms supplies to Ukraine, saying they could further destabilize the situation.
SEE ALSO: Zelenskiy Says Talks With Putin Needed To Get 'Our Lives Back'The continuing arms supplies to Ukraine were dangerous, the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying, warning "of the risks of further destabilization of the situation and aggravation of the humanitarian crisis."
Berlin's account of the 80-minute phone call stressed that Scholz and Macron urged Putin to engage in serious direct negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and find a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
The Ukrainian and Russian sides have not met in person for publicly acknowledged peace talks since late March, five weeks after the large-scale invasion began.
Scholz's office said he and Macron insisted on an immediate cease-fire and a withdrawal of Russian troops, who analysts say are currently focusing much of their effort on wresting territory in eastern Ukraine.
The French president's office said he and Scholz also urged Putin to free thousands of Ukrainian fighters captured after weeks of Russian bombardment at a metals plant that was the last holdout in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
"The president of the Republic and the German chancellor asked for the release of some 2,500 defenders of Azovstal made prisoners of war by the Russian forces," Champs-Elysees said.