EU sanctions on Russian fertilizers ‘discriminatory’: Putin

Moscow, Sep 16 (EFE).- Russian president Vladimir Putin urged Friday the United Nations to demand the European Union lift sanctions on Russian fertilizer supplies to developing countries.

“Influence the decision of the European Commission and demand, not with words but with actions, that they lift these clearly discriminatory restrictions against developing countries and guarantee access to Russian fertilizers,” Putin told the UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, during the second day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.

The Kremlin leader claims Brussels has lifted sanctions on Russian fertilizer for EU countries but not on shipments, hampering Moscow from supplying developing countries.

He added that Russia was ready to ship 300,000 tonnes of fertilizer blocked in European ports to African, Asian and Latin American countries free of charge.

Moscow claims the West is not complying with the UN-backed deal between Russia and Ukraine, signed in Istanbul in July, to resume Ukrainian grain and Russian fertilizer exports from Black Sea ports.

Some 90% of Russian fertilizer exports is destined to Africa, Asia and Latin America. EFE

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