"Yes, we have warned our Western partners about it. And the United Nations has repeatedly warned about this in its statements. The risks are very high now when we see an escalation of tensions in the region through which agricultural products are shipped," the source said when asked about ongoing discussions on risks of an increase in prices of agricultural products.
"The efforts of Turkiye and the UN, among others, are aimed at preventing a food crisis and eliminating the risks of hunger in the countries in need."
The source's comments came in addition to assurances in understanding that the new package of proposals on the Black Sea Grain Initiative, made by Turkiye and the United Nations, does not guarantee Russia's return to the grain deal.
"In the media and some discussions, we see statements that these new proposals can guarantee Russia's return to the Black Sea Grain Initiative. This is a false vision, as there is a lot of work to be done to remove all obstacles to the export of Russian agricultural products and meet the expectations [of Moscow]," the source said.
When asked about Russia's position in the negotiations on the resumption of the grain deal, the source said it is very principled.
"The Russian side requires guarantees," he said, not providing any details about the negotiation process.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday, after his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, that Ankara, in cooperation with the UN, has prepared new proposals regarding the Black Sea Grain Initiative for its resumption.
US Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that he had sent concrete solutions to Lavrov about more effective access of Russian products to global markets as part of his efforts to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative.