Russian, Indonesian presidents discuss Ukraine, food supplies

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Thursday discussed the current situation in Ukraine and the supplies of grain and fertilizers amid a global food shortage.

During a joint briefing after their talks in the Kremlin, Putin said that he informed Widodo in detail of the situation in Ukraine.

Speaking about the imbalance in the global food market, Putin attributed the problem to many years of irresponsible macroeconomic policies in some Western countries.

Russia exported more than 43 million tons of grain last year, of which there were 33 million tons of wheat, Putin said, adding that possible good harvests this year will allow Russia to sell more.

Russia is also ready to deliver a sufficient amount of fertilizers and other materials to Indonesia and other friendly countries, he said.

To this end, Putin stressed the "importance of restoring supply chains disrupted by the sanctions (on Russia)."

Widodo, who paid a visit to Kyiv before traveling to Moscow, underlined the significance of promoting a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.

"I conveyed a message from (Ukrainian) President (Volodymyr) Zelensky to President Putin and expressed my readiness to establish communication between the two leaders," he said.

Widodo appreciated that Putin promised the security of food and fertilizer supplies not only from Russia but also from Ukraine.