“I have the feeling we are still far away from peace,” stated UN Chief after talking with Putin.

United Nations:

The prospects for peace in Ukraine are “minimal” at current, the United Nations chief lamented Wednesday after a phone dialog with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated he and Putin mentioned efforts to beat “obstacles” that stay associated to Russia’s meals and fertilizer exports, however warned it could be “naive” to consider there was ample progress in the direction of a speedy finish to the struggle in Ukraine.

“I have the feeling we are still far away from peace. I would be lying if I would say it could happen soon,” Guterres advised a press convention.

“I have no illusion; at the present moment the chances of a peace deal are minimal,” he added, noting that even a ceasefire is “not in sight.”

Despite his bleak evaluation concerning the struggle that has raged since Russia invaded its neighbor in late February, Guterres pressured he was sustaining contact with either side and expressed hope that “one day it will be possible to go to a higher level of discussion.”

In the meantime talks proceed on Russian exports.

Guterres stated he spoke with Putin earlier Wednesday and that they mentioned the exports initiative “and its extension and its possible expansion.”

A two-part settlement — permitting each the move of Ukraine’s grain exports blocked by the struggle and Russia’s meals and fertilizer exports — was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July and is scheduled to final 120 days.

While some three million tons of grain have been allowed to depart Ukraine, Russia says exports of its personal foodstuffs and fertilizer proceed to endure below Western sanctions, which have focused Moscow for its navy assault.

“There are some exports of Russian food and fertilizers but much lower that what is desirable and needed,” Guterres stated, including there’s dialogue about the opportunity of Russian ammonia exports although the Black Sea.

Ammonia, a key fertilizer ingredient, is produced by combining nitrogen from the air with hydrogen derived from pure fuel.

Several European fertilizer producers have stopped producing ammonia due to hovering fuel costs.

Guterres warned the fertilizer disaster has reached a “dramatic” degree, repeating his fears of a world meals scarcity subsequent yr.

He stated he additionally spoke with Putin about prisoners of struggle and the state of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant.

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